Dark Matters: an interrogation of thresholds of (im)perceptibility through theoretical cosmology, fine art and anthropology of science

This AHRC funded project brings together an unlikely alliance between theoretical cosmology, fine art and anthropology of science to explore the relationship between human knowledge and perception and the realm of the imperceptible. The project is lead by Dr. Rebecca Ellis from Lancaster University Environment Centre, with Dr. Sarah Casey from Insight.

The focus for this investigation is invisible dark matter and dark energy and the starting point is one of pure curiosity – the claim that 95% of the universe is made up of invisible dark matter and dark energy is alluring in quite different ways to the respective disciplines. For a theoretical cosmologist, the imperative is to produce evidence – to ultimately reveal the imperceptible. For the artist, the interest lies in interrogating thresholds between the seen and unseen through art practice to enable critical and poetic reflection on the imperceptible. For the anthropologist, there is a different urge to use the category of the imperceptible as a way of questioning and further pushing the limits of human experience and sensibility. The project aims to identify how disciplinary differences disrupt, challenge and trigger fresh insight for each discipline as they engage with things that are difficult or perhaps impossible to sense.

Visit our project website here »   www.darkmattersproject.wix.com/thresholds