Cosmos Archaeology
宇宙考古 


 May 2024 - Sep 2024


策展人 CURATORS
Sarah Kenderdine
Jean-Paul Kneib
龙星如 Iris LONG


                         

艺术家 ARTISTS

EPFL eM+/EPFL LASTRO/Ben Proudfoot/Cath Le Couteur/CAO Shu 曹澍/Daniela de Paulis/Florian Voggender/June Balthazard & Pierre Pauze/Lily Hibberd/Lita Albuquerque/LIU Xin 刘昕/Makar Tereshin/Nick Ryan/Pascal Bettex/Semiconductor/SHI Zheng 施政/Theodore Kruczek/Quadrature




宇宙诞生之初的光,依然弥漫在我们的身边。 光,这一古老的观测对象,既是我们认知宇宙的工具,也决定了可见世界的边缘和时间的尽头。 古往今来人类对宇宙之光的解读,都是一场穿越时空的「宇宙考古」。这段「由目及光」的考古,由人类之眼和天文望远镜的「观天巨眼」共同进行着。 追随光的轨迹,从极遥远的深空出发,直到回归地球表面,展览中的每件作品都交织起某一尺度的叙事:宇宙的起源是什么? 大型天文装置如何望向深空? 我们能否在宇宙他处窥见自身的命运? 人类关于天空的神话在当代又将被怎样解读?宇宙的奥秘,将以暗语而非明文书写在「光」里,在「观天」的过程中, 被以科学和人文的语言不断破译。展览「宇宙考古」中的作品,既有对「斯隆巡天」等科学天图的解读与转译,有对大天文装置的描摹和探索,有对太空可持续发展的沉思,也有对从未远离我们的神话的致敬。 许多作品是天文学家与艺术家紧密合作的成果:瑞士洛桑联邦理工学院的多件作品均来自该校实验博物馆学实验室与天体物理实验室的紧密协作,清华大学MUST 望远镜和上海天文台参与的国际SKA望远镜项目,也首次呈现与艺术家深度合作的作品。寰宇之上是一个数据库和回忆录,也是一座实验室和时间机器,我们通过望向深空而溯洄过去。宇宙也是一个开放的命题,我们可以追随每一个物理模型、观测发现和艺术创作,在无穷的可能性中思考我们的未来。

The light at the birth of the universe still pervades around us. Light, this ancient object of observation, is both a tool forunderstanding the cosmos and determines the edges of thevisible world and the end of time. Throughout history,humanity's interpretation of the light of the universe has beena journey through time and space, a “cosmic archaeology”.

This archaeological investigation “from the eyes to the light” isconducted jointly by human eyes and the “giant eyes” ofastronomical telescopes. Following the trajectory of light,starting from the distant depths of space and returning to the Earth's surface, each piece in the exhibition weaves a narrativeof a certain scale: What is the origin of the universe? How dolarge astronomical instruments gaze into deep space? Can weglimpse our own destiny in distant corners of the cosmos? How will humanity's myths about the sky be interpreted incontemporary times? The mysteries of the universe, written notin plain text but in cryptic language within “light”, arecontinuously deciphered through the process of “observing thesky”, using the languages of science and humanities.The works in the exhibition “Cosmic Archaeology” include interpretations and translations of scientific sky maps such as the “Sloan Digital Sky Survey”, descriptions and explorations of large astronomical instruments, contemplations on spacesustainability, and tributes to myths that have never been far from us.
Many works are the result of close collaboration between astronomers and artists: several works from the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Lausanne come from the close cooperation between the school's experimental museum and astrophysics laboratory, while the international Square Kilometre Array (SKA) telescope project involving Tsinghua University's MUST Telescope and the Shanghai Astronomical Observatory presents works produced in deep collaboration with artists for the first time.

Above the universe is a database and a record of memories, as well as a laboratory and a time machine through which we
trace our past by looking into deep space. The universe is also an open proposition, allowing us to follow every physical model, observation, and artistic creation, contemplating our future amidst infinite possibilities.


《宇宙考古》展览由瑞士洛桑联邦理工学院(EPFL)、上海天文馆( 上海科技馆分馆) 与瑞士科技文化中心(Swissnex in China) 共同推出,同时得到了北京源真文化有限公司、瑞士国家形象委员会、清华大学天文系以及中国科学院上海天文台的鼎力支持。 

The “Cosmos Archaeology” exhibition is jointly presented by EPFL Pavilions (of Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Lausanne),Shanghai Astronomy Museum (a branch of Shanghai Science & Technology Museum) and Swissnex in China with remarkable support from Beijing Yuanzhen Culture Co., Ltd.,Presence Switzerland,Department of Astronomy at Tsinghua University, Shanghai Astronomical Observatory, Chinese Academy of Sciences




第一程世界边缘

「光」的起点,在已知宇宙的边缘⸺微波背景辐射⸺人类所能感知的宇宙最远端。 这个单元的作品邀请人们溯洄时间,回到「宇宙黎明」,看到宇宙大尺度结构的图景。




第二程


当这束宇宙黎明之光传到邻近的星系,我们观察到更为丰富的天空图景。本单元的作品徜徉于星际之间,描述了从引力透镜到太阳系天体的宇宙地貌,亦有人工智能生成想象中的行星编年史,甚至一段卫星的旋转之舞。




第三程
轨道丛林

光已到达地球轨道,发现这里已是一个天基设施构成的混合世界,机械和自然混合的空间。本单元的作品从宇宙生态的视⾓,探讨轨道卫星和空间望远镜如何成为新的观测基地,怎样更好地利用轨道空间,长续发展。




第四程
观天之眼

光已到达地面,被地表的天文望远镜所接收。它们是科学家望向宇宙黎明之光的「眼睛」,本单元的作品聚焦地表的各类巨型观测设备,及其执行的各种科学任务,它们将展开「观天之眼」的认知空间:也将在哲学上革新「天人关系」的新界面。




第五程
心底苍穹

最后,这束来自宇宙黎明的光线在穿越深空,抵达望远镜后,进入到了每个观察者的眼睛。尾声的两件作品建立起人和宇宙之间的尺度对话⸺不论是在指尖操作宇宙图像,抑或是从微观世界的发现解释极宏观宇宙的洞察。天际的答案可能在心灵的毫厘之间闪烁。





第六程
宇宙往事

光流淌于大地,串联起科学史上的各种故事,从金字塔到被遗忘的女性天文学家,本单元的作品关注天文学科延伸开的更多思考,不以科学本身为唯一中心或答案。天文学科将被视为一个「中间地带」,交织起宇宙观、 文化、女性、想象力等等话语。





Chapter I
Edge of the World

The genesis of light lies at the fringe of the known universe — the cosmic microwave background radiation — marking the farthest frontier of the cosmos perceptible to humanity.
The works in this chapter invite the audience to travel through time, returning to the “cosmic dawn,” unveiling the panoramic vista of the cosmos’ macroscopic structures.




Chapter II
Deepspace Landscapes


As this luminous tendril of cosmic dawn
reaches neighbouring galaxies, it unveils a kaleidoscope of celestial marvels. Within this chapter, artworks gracefully navigate the interstellar expanse, delineating cosmic terrains ranging from gravitational lenses to celestial bodies within the solar
system. Moreover, artificial intelligence crafts imaginative narratives of planetary chronologies, while an enigmatic extraterrestrial signal invites the audience to embark on a dance of satellites.




Chapter III
Orbital Forests

Light now illuminates Earth's orbit, revealing acaptivating fusion of space-based infrastructure where the realms of machinery and nature seamlessly merge.Through the lens of the cosmic ecosystem, works in this chapter delve into the transformation oforbital satellites and space telescopes intopioneering observation platforms, and explore how to maximise the potential of orbital space for enduring development.





Chapter IV
Sky-Gazing Eyes

The light, having traversed the vast expanse of the cosmos,  nally arrives at the Earth's surface,where it is captured by the astronomical telescopes. These extraordinary instruments serve as the “eyes” through which scientists gazeinto the cosmic dawn.In this chapter, our attention is drawn to the multitude of monumental observation devicesspread across the Earth's terrain, each dedicated to a range of scientific pursuits. Together, they beckon the audience to embark on a journey of cognitive exploration towards the “Ground,” sparking contemplation on new horizons in ourphilosophical comprehension of the ever-evolving relationship




Chapter V
Cosmos of the Mind

Eventually, as the light originating from the dawn of the universe voyages through deepspace, encountering the gaze of every beholder,guided by the lens of the telescope.The concluding pair of artworks intersect thehuman and cosmic scales, and eloquentlydepicting how investigations across scales offerprofound insights into the grandeur of thecosmos.Within the intricate details of the soul, one may f ind fleeting glimpses of the answers whispered by the sky above.




Chapter VI
Hidden Pasts of the Cosmos

Light traverses the earth, weaving together diverse narratives from the annals of scientic history.From the enigmatic pyramids to the overlooked contributions of female astronomers, the artworks in this chapter delve into deeper contemplations sparked by the expansive realmof astronomy. They transcend the confines of pure scientic inquiry and unequivocal solutions.Instead, astronomy is portrayed as an “intermediate zone,” where discussions oncosmology, culture, gender, imagination, and beyond converge in a rich tapestry of exploration.








Mark