From the Big Bang to Island Universe: Anatomy of a ...dhw/McElheny/narrative.pdf · the Big Bang to...

FromtheBigBangtoIslandUniverse:AnatomyofaCollaboration1

ByDavidH.Weinberg,OhioStateUniversityDepartmentofAstronomy,June2010

IfirstmetJosiahMcElhenyinSeptember2004,inthecaféoftheWexnerCenterfortheArts,forwhatturnedouttobea3‐hourlunch.WewerejoinedbyHelenMolesworth,theWexnerCenter’sheadcurator.FromanearlierconversationwithHelen,IknewthatJosiahwantedtomakeasculptureaboutthebigbang,connectedinsomewaytothechandeliersthathanginNewYork’sMetropolitanOperaHouse.ConveyinganaccurateunderstandingofthebigbangisoneofthehardestchallengesIfaceinmyintroductoryastronomylectures,andIdoubtedthatIcouldprovideusefuladviceonhowtodoitwithasculpture.Butbytheendofourconversationwehadidentifiedawayforward,andaftersixyearsandfourcompletedworks,JosiahandIarestillcollaborating.JosiahandIhavegivennumeroustalksinthelasttwoyears,someindividuallyandsomejointly,onthefoursculpturesthathavesofaremergedfromourcollaboration:AnEndtoModernity(2005),TheLastScatteringSurface(2006),TheEndoftheDarkAges(2008),andIslandUniverse(2008).IwasdelightedtoparticipateintheNarrative,Science,andPerformancesymposium,whichwasanespeciallyaptforumbecauseofourproject’sdeeprootsatOhioStateandtheWexnerCenter,andbecauseofthesymposium’sfocusonthenexusbetweenscienceandart.Ihavewrittenelsewhere(seetheBibliography)aboutthescientificbackgroundoftheseworks,explainingthe“code”thatconnectstheirelaboratearrangementsofchrome‐platedmetal,glassdisksandglobes,andincandescentlampstoastronomicaltheoriesandobservations.HereIwillgivejustbriefexplanationsofthescienceandfocusinsteadonthehistoryoftheproject,providingwhatIhopeisaninformative“casestudy”ofanambitiouscollaborativeeffortattheart/scienceborder.AnEndtoModernityInthatfirstlunchtimeconversation,Josiahbeganbyshowingmeexamplesofhisrecentwork,intricateconstructionsoftransparentandreflectiveglassthatexploredthemesofmodernistdesignandarchitecture.HedescribedhisfascinationwiththeMetchandeliers,astrikinghybridofcut‐glassopulenceandSputnikspikiness,createdin1965,theyearthatthediscoveryofthecosmicmicrowavebackgroundprovidedthelinchpinevidenceforthebigbangtheory.Josiahshowedmeasketchofthesculptureheenvisioned:a“Metchandelier”remadeinastreamlinedmoderniststyle,broughtdowntoeyelevel,andconnectedexplicitlytothebigbang,withglasspiecesrepresentinggalaxiesandlampsrepresentingquasars.Josiahknewthepotentialconceptualflawofthisdesign.Whilethepopularimageofthebigbangisanexplosionofmaterialfromacentralpointintopre‐existingspace‐‐anatom

1ToappearinthejournalNarrative,aspartoftheproceedingsofthesymposiumNarrative,Science,andPerformance,editedbyJ.Phelan.ThesymposiumtookplaceatOhioStateUniversityinOctober,2009,hostedbyOSU’sProjectNarrativeandtheWexnerCenterfortheArts.

bombonsteroids‐‐cosmologistsunderstandthebigbangastheoriginofspaceandtimeitself,initiatinganexpansionthatoccurseverywhereandhasnocenter.Iranthroughmyusualanalogyoftheexpandinguniverseastheskinofaninflatingballoon,carryingapart“galaxies”markedonitssurface.ReturningtoJosiah’ssketch,Inotedthatonemightnaturallyreaditnotasasnapshotofasingleinstantbutasaprogressionintime,withexplosionatthecenterleadingtosubsequentfragmentationintheouterregions.Isuggestedthatwemakethisprogressionexplicitbyhavingdistancefromthecenterrepresenttime,mappingspecificlocationsinthesculpturetospecificepochsofcosmichistory.Theouteredgewouldmarkthepresentday,andthesupportingcentralspherecouldrepresentthe“lastscatteringsurface,”formedhalfamillionyearsafterthebigbang,whentheopaquefogoflight‐scatteringfreeelectronsdissipatedandtheuniversebecametransparentforthefirsttime.Somewhattomysurprise,Josiahembracedthesesuggestionsimmediately.Andreally,everythingelsehasfollowedfromthere.Overtheensuingsixmonths,JosiahmademonthlyvisitstoColumbus,andIgavehimacrashcourseinmoderncosmology,coveringtheempiricalandtheoreticalunderpinningsofthebigbangtheoryandmorerecentdiscoveriesabouttheformationandgrowthofgalaxiesandquasars.EachmonthJosiahwouldgobacktoNewYorkwithastackofarticlesorbooks,andthenextmonthhewouldreturnwithapageofhandwrittenquestions,whichconsistentlywenttotheheartofthescientificorconceptualissuesatstake.Asourideasaboutthestructureofthesculpturetookshape,webegantoworryabouttechnicalquestions.Rodsemanatingfromthecentralspherewouldterminateineitheralamp,representingaquasar,oraclusterofglasspieces,representingaclusterorsuperclusterofgalaxies.Howthickdidtherodsneedtobesothattheywouldnotbendperceptiblyundertheweightofacluster?Shouldtheybeuniformthicknessortelescoped?Howcloselycouldtherodsbespacedonthecentralsphere?Wouldtheminimumspacingmakethepatternofrodstooregular,erasingtherandomnessthatwehopedtoachieve?Iwrotesomesimplecomputerscriptstoshowwhatthestructuremightlooklikefordifferentchoicesaboutthenumberandsizesoftheelements.Asweexpandedourexplorations,thesescriptsgraduallygrewintoacomplexwebofprograms,whichtransformedthestatisticalrulesthatJosiahandIdevelopedintoalistofpartsandassemblyinstructions.Alongtheway,theseprogramssolvedsomeofthemoresubtletechnicalproblems,ensuringthat“galaxies”wouldnotoverlapinspace,thateachclustercouldbescrewedontoitssupportingrodwithoutrunningafoulofaneighboringrod,andthatthesculpturewouldnottipwhensuspendedfromtheapexofitscentralsphere.Josiah,meanwhile,setaboutafarmoredauntingtask,figuringouthowtoconstructtheferociouslycomplicatedobjectthatwasemergingfromourdiscussionsanddiagrams.Intheend,themetalpartswerefabricatedtodesignbyacompanyinCalifornia,andJosiahandhisassistantAndersRydstedtfabricatedthe932glasspiecesinJosiah’sstudiooverthecourseofahotNewYorksummer.Inafrenziedfinaltwoweeks,JosiahandateamfromtheWexnerCenterassembledthe2000+parts,someofthemstillarrivingindailybatches,intothefinishedsculpture.AnEndtoModernityis172’’acrossand138’’tall,suspendedsothatthe28’’reflectivecentralspherehangsateyelevelandthelowestglasspiecesliesixinchesabovethefloor.Withouradoptedmappingbetweenlocationandtime,theshortest,36’’rodsend100

millionyearsafterthebigbang.Theysupporteitherfaintlampsorgroupsofafewsmallglasspieceswiththedisk‐likeformexpectedfortheearliestgalaxies.Movingoutwardstowardsthepresent,theglasspiecesbecomelarger,tracingthegrowthofgalaxiesastheyattractgasfromtheirsurroundingsandprocessitintostars.Glassspheres,representingellipticalgalaxiesformedbythechaoticcollisionsofstellardisks,becomeincreasinglycommon,especiallyinthedensecentralregionsoftheclusters.Theclustersthemselvesgrowinsizeandcomplexity,acquiringtheextendedfilamentarystructureseenin3‐dimensionalmapsofthedistributionofgalaxies.Lampsbecomemorenumerousandbrighter,thenfadeintheoutermostzone,tracingtheobservedriseandfallofthequasarpopulation.AnEndtoModernityappearedfirstinHelenMolesworth’sPartObject/PartSculptureexhibition,anexplorationofthevariedlegaciesofMarcelDuchamp.Josiahchosethetitleaboutamonthbeforetheexhibition,anditcameasagreatsurprisetome.Itinvariablypuzzlesmyastronomicalcolleaguesaswell,soIhavehadtobecomereasonablyproficientatexplainingit.ThesculptureplaysonthehistoricalandintellectualcoincidencebetweenthediscoveryofthecosmicmicrowavebackgroundandthedesignoftheMetchandeliers,a“fictitioushistory”thatJosiahbringsoutmoreexplicitlyinhiscompanionfilmConceptualDrawingsforaChandelier(1965),whichinterleavesfootageofthechandelierswithabstractdiagramsdrawnfromastronomyandcosmologytextbooks.Josiahalsoidentifies1965asatimewhendevelopmentsinartandculturewere“layingwastetothemodernistviewofhistoryasasinglelineofprogressivethought,”when“intellectualthoughtintheWestwasbeginningtosplinterinawaythatechoedcosmology’sconceptofade‐centered,non‐hierarchicaluniverse.”2Ofthemanyscientificissueswedugintowhiledesigningthesculpture,theonethatfascinatedJosiahthemostwasthetensionbetweenthehomogeneityandisotropyoftheuniverseonlargescaleandthespecificityofindividualstructureonsmallscale,thenotionthat“anypartoftheuniverseisaslikelytobe‘boring’or‘interesting’asanyother.”3AnEndtoModernity‐‐and,byretrospectiveimplication,theMetchandeliersthemselves‐‐embodiestheexplosionoftheunifyingmodernistethosintothediversefragmentsofthepost‐modernistera.TheLastScatteringSurfaceandTheEndoftheDarkAgesTheideaofmakingmultiplesculptureswasbornofnecessity.Becauseofitscost,AnEndtoModernityrequiredsubstantialinvestmentsfromJosiah’sgalleriesinNewYorkandChicago,andadditionalpieceswereneededtomakethewholeprojectfinanciallyviable.Weconsideredthesimpleoption,alternativerealizationsofAnEndtoModernityinwhicheverydetailwouldbedifferentbuttheoverallstructurewouldbethesame.Wequicklydecided,however,thatweshouldembracetheopportunitytohighlightotheraspectsofcosmology,exploringthemesthatwehaddiscussedatlengthbuthadnottriedtoincorporateintothefirstsculpture.

2JosiahMcElhenyinTheDevelopmentandOriginsofIslandUniverse,whichappearsinthetwoIslandUniversecatalogsdiscussedintheBibliography.3Ibid.

InAnEndtoModernity,thelastscatteringsurfaceisrepresentedbythecentralreflectivesphere.Inreality,thelastscatteringsurfaceisnotasimpleopaquebarrierbuttheglowingfireballoftheearlyuniverse,surroundingusatadistanceof14billionlightyears.Forthesecondsculpture,wedecidedtorepresentthisglowbystuddingthecentralspherewith150incandescentlamps.Thecosmicmicrowavebackground–theobservedglowofthelastscatteringsurface–isalmostperfectlysmooth,butitstiny,0.001‐percentvariationsaretheseedsthatgravityhasamplifiedintothegalaxiesandlargescalestructurethatweseetoday.Weusedvaryinglampbrightnessestodisplay(atahighlyexaggeratedlevel)theseprimevalmicrowavebackgroundfluctuations,astheywerefirstmappedintheearly1990sbytheCosmicBackgroundExplorersatellite.WhileAnEndtoModernitydepictsthefullhistoryofgalaxyandquasarevolution,TheLastScatteringSurfacefocusesspecificallyontherelationbetweentheprimevalfluctuationsandpresentdaystructure,soallofitsrodsareofasinglelengthandallofitsclustersresemblethoseattheouteredgeofAnEndtoModernity.

AsweweredesigningTheLastScatteringSurface,wediscusseditlargelyinpracticalterms,concentratingonhowtosolvethenewtechnicalchallengesitcreated.Josiahwascaptivated,however,bytheideathattheimperfectionsoftheearlyuniversewerecrucialtothedevelopmentofstructure,form,andlife,andthataperfectlysmoothuniversewouldhaveremainedperfectlysterile,forever.Webroughtoutthisthememoreexplicitlywhenwebegantogivejointtalksaboutthesculpturesin2008,especiallyinourtalkatthePhoenixArtMuseum,whereTheLastScatteringSurfacehasfounditspermanenthomeinthemuseum’sglass‐walledentrylobby.ThereweposedTheLastScatteringSurfaceasacounterpointtoJosiah’s2001installationKärtnerBar,Vienna,1908,AdolfLoos(White),inwhichpurewhitereproductionsofLoos’sdesignsandawhite‐on‐whitereprintingofLoos’sessayOrnamentandCrimeshowthemodernistidealofpurityandperfectiontakentoitsseductivebuthorrifyingextreme.TheEndoftheDarkAges,thethirdproductofourcollaboration,zeroesinonthefirstonebillionyearsofcosmichistory,whenthediffuseglowofthebigbangfadedandthefirststars,galaxies,andquasarsfilledtheuniversewithdiscretesourcesofvisiblelight.Instructuralterms,itisliketheinnerregionsofAnEndtoModernity,expandedinscaleanddetailtoallowcloserinspection.Astronomersdefinetheendofthecosmic“darkages”asthetimewhenradiationfromhotstarsandyoungquasarsbrokethehydrogenatomsinintergalacticspacebackintoprotonsandelectrons,onceagainfillingtheuniversewithafree‐electronfog.TheEndoftheDarkAgesterminatesatroughlythisepoch,afterrevealingtheemergenceofvitalityfromprimordialimperfection.IslandUniverse

SoonafterJosiahimpartedhisplantomakemultiplesculptures,Iremarkedthatwecouldhangthemallinoneroomandcalltheexhibit“EternalInflation.”Theinflationmodel,introducedbyAlanGuthin1980,proposesthattheuniversebecamehomogeneousthroughanearlyphaseofextremelyrapidexponentialexpansion,followedbyanepochof“reheating”thatproducedthehot,radiation‐filledcosmosoftheconventionalbigbangtheory.Inflationextendsratherthanreplacesthebigbangtheory,explainingfeaturesoftheuniversethatthestandardmodeltookforgranted.In1982,AndreiLindesuggesteda

variantoftheinflationhypothesisinwhichan“inflationarysea”expandsexponentiallyforeverbutconstantlyspawns“bubbles”withinwhichreheatingoccursandinflationends.Theinhabitantsofabubbleseea“normal”bigbanguniverse,buttheirentireobservablecosmosisjustoneofmany(perhapsinfinitelymany)denizensofthe“multiverse.”Eachoneofthesecosmicbubblescouldhavedifferentmatterandenergycontentsordifferentinitialfluctuationlevels,oreven‐‐thetrulyexotictwist‐‐differentlawsoffundamentalphysicsordifferentnumbersofspatialdimensions.Wildlyspeculativethoughitmaysound,themultiverseinflationscenarioisnowwidelyacceptedasaplausibleaccountofthecosmosonscalesfarlargerthanthosewecanobservedirectly.IgaveJosiahacopyofLinde’s1987article“ParticlePhysicsandInflationaryCosmology,”whichwasmyownintroductiontoeternalinflation.“P.P.I.C.”appearedinPhysicsToday,whichisa“popular”magazineinthesenseofbeingcomprehensibletotheaveragePh.D.physicist.BythenIknewthatJosiahcouldextractthekeypointsfromtheintroductionsandconclusionsoftechnicalarticleswithoutgettinglostinthemathematicalmiddle.Ialsoguessed,correctly,thathewouldlikeLinde’sevocative,hand‐drawnillustrationsofthemultiverseanditsinhabitants.Ihadfloatedtheideaofamultiverseinstallationashalfjoke,halfprovocation.Josiahwasstillwrestlingwiththetechnicalandorganizationalchallengesofthefirstsculpture,andthenotionofbuildingmanyofthemtomakeasingleworkseemedbeyondpracticalimagination.FromhiscontinuingquestionsabouttheLindearticle,however,Icouldtellthattheideahadgottenunderhisskin.Sometimelater,Isuggestedthataneternalinflationpiececouldbetitled“IslandUniverse,”atermthatIattributed(incorrectly,aswelaterlearned)toImmanuelKant.Ina1755monographtitledUniversalHistoryandTheoryoftheHeavens,Kantproposed(correctly)thatthenebulousellipticalsmudgesseenthroughtelescopeswereactuallyenormous,andenormouslydistant,stellarsystemslikeourownMilkyWay.Acenturylater,AlexandervonHumboldtpopularizedKant’sconjectureasthe“islanduniverse”hypothesis,butitwasnotuntil1923thatEdwinHubbledemonstrateditsvalidity,showingthattheclosestspiralnebula,Andromeda,wastentimesfurtherfromearththaneventhemostdistantstarsoftheMilkyWay.Kant’shypothesisexpandedthesizeoftheknownuniversefarbeyondthevisiblestars,andindeedheconcludedthatitwentonforever,filledwithgalaxiesinalldirections.Linde’shypothesis,Isuggested,wasanalogoustoKant’s,butonascalevastlylargerstill‐‐‐infinitiesembeddedinyetlargerinfinities.ThecosmicislandsofKant’suniverseareseparatedbythepracticalimpossibilitiesofintergalacticvoyages,buttheislandsofLinde’smultiverseareseparatedbythephysicalimpossibilityoftravelingfasterthanlight.AsJosiahandIworkedonAnEndtoModernityandTheLastScatteringSurface,wewouldoccasionallydigressintodiscussionsofinflationandthemultiverse,LindeandKant.WhenJosiahgotaninvitationfromtheWhiteCubeGalleryinLondontomake“somethingthatseemedimpossible,”hedecidedthatIslandUniversewouldbetheproject.Forme,themostmemorablephaseofIslandUniversewasJosiah’stwo‐dayvisittotheInstituteforAdvancedStudy,whereIspentthefallof2006.Bytheafternoonofthesecondday,wehadcoveredawall‐to‐wallblackboardwithdiagramsandnotesonthefiveuniverseswehaddecidedtorepresent.Wecameupwithaworkingtitleforeachuniverse:“Heliocentric”fortheonethatobeyedrulessimilartoAnEndtoModernity’sandthatcould

thereforerepresentourownuniverse;“SmallScaleViolence”fortheoneinwhichstrongprimordialfluctuationsproducedintenseearlyformationofgalaxiesandquasars;“FrozenStructure”fortheoneinwhichahighfractionofrepulsivedarkenergyarrestedthegrowthofgalaxies;“LateEmergence”fortheoneinwhichweakprimordialfluctuationsdelayedgalaxyformation;and“DirectionalStructure”fortheoneinwhichgalaxiesandquasarsformedonlyinthedisk‐likeplaneofa“super‐galaxy.”Someofthesenameswereclunkierthanothers,buttheyquicklybecameindispensableaswetriedtokeeptrackofourevolvingmultiverse.Allofthemhavestuck.Attendingtheexhibitionopeningsforallofthesecosmologicalsculptureshasbeenenormousfun–seeingtheideasandthepartslistsandthecomputerplotsembodiedasrealobjectsforthefirsttime,discoveringreflectionsandrefractionsthatwedidnotanticipate,andmeetingJosiah’sremarkablecircleoffriends.TheopeningofIslandUniverse,inLondon,wasthebestofall.Oursenseofcompletionandcelebrationwasenormous.TheWhiteCubeGalleryseemedlikeaperfectsettingforthepiece,anabstract,almostmathematicalspacewhosegriddedceilingreflectedfromspheretosphere.Tomygreatregret,however,ImissedthesecondexhibitionofIslandUniverse,whichwasinanearlyantitheticalsettingthatseemstohaveworkedevenbetter:theReinaSofiaMuseum’sPalaciodeCristal,locatedinaparkincentralMadrid.There‐‐tojudgefromthephotographsandfromJosiah’sdescription‐‐theIslandUniversesculptureslookedlikespace‐ageobjectsthathadmaterializedinsidea19th‐centurybuildingdesigned,somehow,withtheknowledgethattheywouldonedayappear.Viewerswanderedinfromtheparktoencountertheseenigmaticforms,whoseappearanceshiftedslowlywiththetimeofdayandswiftlywithpassingclouds.ThetwoIslandUniverseexhibitionsalsogaverisetotwostrikingcatalogs,withexquisiteimagesandanimpressivearrayoftexts.TheyincludefacsimilesofLinde’sarticleandofthecrucial(translated)chapterofKant’sUniversalHistory,andamarvelousessaybyStanfordphilosopherThomasRyckman,whichdescribesthehistoryofKant’smonographandidentifiesstartlingparallelsbetweenKant’sideasandthemotivationsandimplicationsofmultiversecosmology.IhadsuggestedtheanalogybetweenKantandLindelargelyonawhim,knowingthatitwouldcatchJosiah’sattention,buttheconnectionsgomuchdeeperthanIcouldhaveguessed.ConversationsandGifts

Fromthebeginning,ourcollaborationwasgroundedinconversation,whichwouldoftenveerfromminutetechnicaldetailstolongdigressionsonscience,art,philosophy,fiction,orhistory.Sometimesthesedigressionswouldfloatintheairformonths,thenreturnsuddenlytoassumeanimportantthematicroleinoneofthesculptures.TheLondonexhibitionofIslandUniverseprovidedanopportunitytotakeourconversationpublic,withajointlectureattheInstituteofContemporaryArts.Overthenextyear,JosiahandIgaveadditionaljointlecturesattheannualmeetingoftheAmericanSocietyforAesthetics,atthePhoenixArtMuseum,andattheWexnerCenter(jointlysponsored,inacross‐disciplinaryfirst,withOhioState’sCenterforCosmologyandAstro‐ParticlePhysics).Aftereachlecture,wewouldcontinueone‐on‐one,usuallyoverdinner,eachprobingwhattheotherhadsaid,askingquestionsandproposingvariations.Beforethenextlecturewewould

incorporateideasorcomparisonsortransitionsthathademergedfromthesediscussions.Theprocessofspeakingaboutandwritingaboutthesculptureshasallowedbothofustounderstandthemmoredeeply–philosophically,aesthetically,andscientifically‐‐thanwedidwhenwewereworkingtocreatethem.Overtheyears,ourprivateandpublicconversationshaveexploredthedifferencesbetweenscientificmodelsandartisticmodels,thecoloroftheuniverse,theseductionsandperilsofmodernism,themixofphilosophicalpreconception,mathematics,andlanguageinscientificarguments,theminorroleofreflectedlightinastronomicallyobservableobjects,themusicalkeyofacousticoscillationsintheearlyuniverse,thechemistryofglassfurnaces,andthemulti‐scaletransitionsbetweeninhomogeneityandhomogeneityineternalinflationmodels.Wehavealsodevelopedthehabitofgivinggifts.Mostofthemaresmall–books,meals,aproduct‐labeledcanof“darkmatter”thatJosiahfoundatoneofthoseplacessellinggaggiftsforsciencegeeks.Manyofthemarefree–evocativequotations,orsuggestionsofarticlesthatmightinterestoramuse.Ihavecertainlyprofitedthemostfromtheseexchanges,sinceJosiahcanactuallymakethings–glassesemblazonedwithmydaughter’sinitials,handblownduringtwoseparatevisitstotheglassstudiowhenshewasfourandeight,and,thebiggestgiftbyfar,ahalf‐dozenglassclustersclonedfromAnEndtoModernityandIslandUniverse,whichhanginmyhouseaselegantstand‐alonesculpturesandremindersoftheirlargerkin.MyownmostinspiredgiftshavebeentheLindearticle,aquotationfromBlaisePascalbywayofJorgeLuisBorges4,andanopticalfiberplugplatefromtheSloanDigitalSkySurvey.ThePascalquote–“theuniverseisaninfinitecircle,whosecenteriseverywhereandwhosecircumferenceisnowhere”–struckmeasapoeticmetaphorfortheisotropicuniverseanditscenterlessexpansion.Theplugplateisa3‐footbrushedaluminumdisk,precision‐drilledwith640smallholesinanirregularpatternandhand‐labeledinblackpermanentmarker,oneof2000suchplatesusedincreatingthelargesteverthree‐dimensionalmapoftheuniverse.IsentittoJosiahwithoutcomment,buthefiguredoutwhatitwasimmediatelyandhungitonthewallofhisstudioforcontemplation.LiketheLindearticle,theplugplatewasintendedpartlyasprovocation,thoughofjustwhatIwasn’tsure.Now,followingalongexhalationafterIslandUniverse,wefindourselvescollaboratingonanewproject,averydifferentkindof“chandelier”inwhichglasspiecesandlampssuspendedfromaSloanplatewillshownotanentiremodeluniversebutacore‐sampleofstars,galaxies,andquasarsfoundalongaspecificlineofsightthroughourowncosmos,fromourownearthboundperspective.ThePascalquote,too,hasreturned.Followingacompletelydifferentchainofassociations,Josiaharrivedatthe1872bookEternitybytheStars,bytheFrenchcommunistleaderAugusteBlanqui,whomysteriouslychosetodevotehisimprisonmenttowritingascientifictractinsteadofapoliticalmanifesto.BlanquiquotesPascalinthesecondparagraphofthebook,correcting“infinitecircle”to“infinitesphere,”andhegoesontoaphilosophicallymindedaccountofastronomicalknowledgeandtoprescientspeculationsontheimplicationsofinfinity.Today,ourcontinuingconversationzeroesinontherelativemeritsof18mmvs.24mmglasspiecesandthedifficultiesofchrome‐platingaluminum,thenzoomsouttothe

4J.L.Borges,TheFearfulSphereofPascal,inLabyrinths.

connectionsamongBlanqui’sspeculations,FriedrichNietzsche’stheoryoftheEternalReturn,thecombinatoricsofBorges’shortstoryTheLibraryofBabel,andcontemporarycosmologicaldiscussionsofreplicasand“Boltzmannbrains”inaninfiniteuniverse.Lessons

Inthegalleries,thesculpturesappearedwithaminimumofexplanatorytext–thewallplaquesmightmentioncosmologyorthebigbang,buttolearnthesciencebehindthedesignyouhadtotrackdownthecatalogessayorhearmeorJosiahexplainit.Thisabsenceofinformationrancountertomypedagogicimpulse,andIwasinitiallysurprisedthatJosiahcaredsomuchaboutgettingaccuratescientificdetailsintothesculpturesbutwasn’tbotheredifviewersencounteredthesculptureswithouta“key”todecodethem.However,Ihavegraduallycometosharehispointofview,thatanyonewhospendsafewminuteswithoneofthesculpturescandiscernacomplexsystemoforderedrandomnessbehindit,asystemthatinvitesexplorationandrepayscloseinspectionwithdeepercomplexity.Theviewerdevelopsherowninterpretationofthishiddeninformationmuchlikeascientistencounteringanewnaturalphenomenon,andshecanchoose(ornot)tocomparethisinterpretationtothe“backofthebook”solutioninthecatalogessay.Thedifferentemphasisonexplanationvs.discovery,Ihaveconcluded,ismuchofthedifferencebetweenanexhibitforasciencemuseumandanartworkforagallery.Whatelsecanwelearnfromthis“casestudy”aboutcollaborationsattheart/scienceborder?First,ithelpsagreatdealifeachpartyinthecollaborationhasinterestinandsympathyforthewaytheotherworks.Josiahclearlyenjoyedlearningaboutastronomy,notjusttheresultsbutthenutsandboltsofhowitisdone.Formypart,Ihavelearnedaboutmodernandcontemporaryartfrommywife,anarthistorian,andfromhercircleoffriends,soIenteredtheprojectwithanappreciationofwhatJosiahwastryingtoaccomplishandexcitementaboutmakingacontribution.Second,andequallyimportant,thecollaboratorsmustfinddesignprinciplesthatallowscientificandaestheticideastoreinforceeachotherratherthantuginoppositedirections.Inourcase,thatprinciplewasthespace‐to‐timetranslationthatwemappedoutinourveryfirstconversation.Onceweadoptedthatstructure,everyscientificdetailweaddedtothesculpturemadeitaestheticallyricher.What’sinitfortheartist?Forastart,scienceisoneofthemostinfluentialelementsofmoderncultureandhumanintellectualhistory,makingitanaturalsubjectforcriticalinquirybyotherfields.Inaddition,sciencecanbeapowerfulgeneratorofvisualideas,wovenwithtensionsandsurprisesandlayersofinteraction.After13monthsofwork,AnEndtoModernitylookedsimilaringeneralstructuretothesketchJosiahshowedmeattheoutset,butthedetailsmadeallthedifference,notjustintellectuallybutvisually.InJosiah’swords:“Theruleswedevelopedtorepresenttheactualevolvinguniverseproducedformsthatwerestranger,andmuchmorecomplexandcompellingthanIcouldhavecomeupwithbymereinvention.”5

5Ibid.

What’sinitforthescientist?First,it’sachancetoreachfarbeyondone’susualaudience,touchingpeoplewhoselivesandinterestsandoutlookmaybecompletelydifferentfromone’sown.MorepeoplesawIslandUniverseinonedayinMadridthanhaveeverreadmyAstrophysicalJournalarticles.Thesculptureshavebeenagreatbasisforpopulartalksinsciencevenues,andithasbeenevenmoreinterestingtotalkabouttheminartmuseums,wheretheyelicitawiderangeofreactionsandquestions.Second,it’sachancetolearnfromtheinsideaboutaradicallydifferentfieldofintellectualendeavor,encounteringboththeconceptualtoolsandthepracticalconstraintsofthearts.Seeingasetofideasturnintoaconcrete,magnificentobjectisveryrewarding.Lastly,it’sachancetoindulgeintheromanticaspectofscience,whichissomethingwetendtosuppressinourprofessionalwork,butwhichhaseverythingtodowithbecomingascientistinthefirstplace.AfinallessonfromourexperienceisthatJosiahandIunderstandfarmoreaboutthesculpturesinretrospectthanwedidatthetimeweconceivedanddesignedthem,asaresultoftalkingtoeachother,speakingtoaudiences,writing,reading,andreflecting.Manyconnectionsthatwefirstsawwithvagueintuitionprovedfarricherthanwecouldhavehoped.Somyadvicetoartistsandscientistscontemplatingsuchacollaborationistojumpin,andseewhereittakesyou,withouttryingtofigureeverythingoutaheadoftime.Intheend(ifthereisanend),itwillbemuchmoreworkthanyoubargainedfor,andmuchmorefunthanyouimagined.Bibliography

ThebestplacetolearnaboutJosiah’sartingeneralandthecosmologicalsculpturesinparticularistherecentlypublishedbookJosiahMcElheny:APrism,250pagesofalternatingimagesandtexts,editedbyLouiseNeriandJosiahMcElheny,andpublishedbySkira/Rizzolibooks(NewYork,2010).ThetextsincludemyessaydescribingthescientificbackgroundtothefourcosmologicalsculpturesandseveralotheressaysthatdiscusstheseworksinthebroadercontextofJosiah’soeuvreandthehistoryofmodernism.TherearetwodazzlingcatalogsofthetwoIslandUniverseexhibitions.Thefirst,titledJosiahMcElheny–IslandUniverse,ispublishedbyJayJopling/WhiteCube(London,2009).Thesecond,titledASpaceforanIslandUniverse,ispublishedbytheMuseoNacionalCentrodeArteReinaSofia(Madrid2009).Bothofthemincludeanedited“conversation”betweenJosiahandmeonthedevelopmentandoriginsofIslandUniverse,anessayonIslandUniversebyarthistorianMollyNesbit,atranslationofKant’sConcerningCreationintheTotalExtentofItsInfinityBothinSpaceandTime,fromhisUniversalNaturalHistoryandTheoryoftheHeavens,andanessaybyphilosopherThomasRyckmanaboutKant’smonographanditsconnectionstoIslandUniverse.Inaddition,theLondoncatalogincludesafacsimilereprintofLinde’sarticle“ParticlePhysicsandInflationaryCosmology,”anoriginalessayaboutinflationandthemultiversebycosmologistCraigHogan,andanintroductionbycuratorCraigBurnett,whiletheMadridcatalogincludesanessayaboutthesculpturebyexhibitioncuratorLynneCooke,anessayabouttheaccompanyingfilm(alsotitledIslandUniverse)byfilmhistorianEricdeBruyn,andanessayaboutthefilm’smusicalscorebyJosiahandthecomposerPaulSchütze.

Finally,thebestsourceforimagesofAnEndtoModernityanditscompanionfilmConceptualDrawingsforaChandelier(1965)isthecatalogpublishedin2006bytheWexnerCenter,titledJosiahMcElheny:NotesforaSculptureandaFilmandeditedbyJosiahMcElhenyandHelenMolesworth.ThiscatalogincludesseveralessaysaboutAnEndtoModernity,someofwhichreappearintheSkira/Rizzolibook.AcknowledgmentsIamgratefultoJimPhelanforinvitingmetoparticipateinthisunusualandinspiringsymposium,toHelenMolesworthforgettingthisballrollingmanyyearsago,toLisaFlormanforteachingmemostofwhatIknowaboutart,and,ofcourse,toJosiah.MyworkonthisprojectandthisarticlewassupportedinpartbytheNationalScienceFoundationandbyanAMIASmembershipattheInstituteforAdvancedStudy.

AnEndtoModernity(JosiahMcElheny,2005),exhibitedattheWexnerCenterfortheArts,OhioStateUniversity,Columbus,Ohio.AnEndtoModernityisnowinthepermanentcollectionoftheTateModern,London.ImagecourtesyofJ.McElheny.

TheLastScatteringSurface(JosiahMcElheny,2006),exhibitedattheDonaldYoungGalleryinChicago(left,detail)andinitspermanentinstallationatthePhoenixArtMuseum(right).ImagescourtesyofJ.McElheny.

TheEndoftheDarkAges(JosiahMcElheny,2008),exhibitedattheAndreaRosenGalleryinNewYorkCity.TheEndoftheDarkAgesisnowinaprivatecollection.ImagecourtesyofJ.McElheny.

IslandUniverse(JosiahMcElheny,2008),exhibitedattheWhiteCubeGallery,London(top),andatthePalaciodeCristaloftheReinaSofiaMuseum,Madrid(bottom).ImagescourtesyofJ.McElheny.