Shadow of Unknowing

International Centre for Mathematical Sciences, Edinburgh, UK

PERMANENT INSTALLATION

Shadow of Unknowing is an interactive and existential cosmic simulation centred around a cyclic journey through a black hole. Inspired by the physics of black holes, it weaves various paradoxes around these cosmic phenomena into a slow meditation on how we confront the unknown - in the universe and within ourselves.

Structured over six loops/lifetimes of a reincarnating avatar, viewers collectively complete the full cycle over time by piloting the avatar through a journey towards sublime darkness. They have the opportunity to enrich their understanding and perception of reality by collecting fragments of knowledge periodically released by the black hole. As the avatar confronts this radiant void, it comes to terms with its own scale and place in the universe, and feelings that oscillate between terror and bliss as it heads towards inevitable destruction/transformation.

Teaser trailer

CREDITS

Lead artist: Yambe Tam

Programming: Albert Barbu

Music composition: Dr. Seán Clancy

Text by Yambe Tam with excerpts from The Red Book, Carl Jung; The Cloud of Unknowing, Anonymous; The Heart Sutra, transl. Dosung Yoo.

With special thanks to Dr. Minhyong Kim, Dr. James Lucietti, Dr. Jan Sbierski, Oisin Kim, Dr. Maximillian Ruffert, Dr. Jacques Vanneste, Dr. Sheperd S. Doeleman.

Commissioned by the International Centre for Mathematical Sciences as part of the Visiting Fellowship in the Visual Arts, supported by the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council.