Science Gallery Bengaluru invites proposals for exhibits and public programmes for their 2025 exhibition-season QUANTUM.
Although the strange properties of quantum physics may seem unimaginable in the world we perceive, they are critical to a new revolution in technology, from computing and cryptography to quantum optics and quantum biology. The way the quantum world defies our conventional understanding has also inspired entire sagas in science fiction, fantasy literature and popular culture.
QUANTUM
A cat, a poisonous gas, a radioactive material, a hammer, and a Geiger counter in a closed box. Is the cat dead or alive?
These tiniest of particles can exist in more than one state at the same time—red and blue, dead and alive, on and off. This is “superposition,” one of the fundamental properties in quantum mechanics. Ever since Max Planck suggested that electromagnetic energy from a black body could only be emitted in discrete clumps, which he called quanta, our journey to understand the fundamental nature of reality entered the new and confounding realm of the quantum. That’s how atoms and other subatomic particles exist—when no one is looking at them.
Quantum physics explains the world we see around us, though few of us attempt to understand it. This is perhaps because of its inherent weirdness—it describes the behaviour of particles at the smallest scales through paradoxes, probabilities and uncertainties. Once we begin to view atoms less like balls and more like waves in a sea—some of these characteristics may seem less confounding. For instance, how two particles can be entangled, such that even when they are separated by the longest of distances, they can instantly affect each other’s state when measured, or tunnelling, which allows tiny particles to pass through seemingly solid barriers.
Though these may seem ghostly or unimaginable in the world that we perceive—these properties are critical to daily life. Without tunnelling, for example, hydrogen atoms would be unable to fuse together forming the massive heat giving star that is our sun! Quantum phenomena have been suggested behind biological phenomena such as photosynthesis and even in the migration of some birds. We have utilized the quantum properties of materials to create semiconductors, transistors, and microchips that are foundational to all our electronic and computing devices. Even magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) that appears to magically create high resolution images of our internal organs, depends on the ability of the nuclei in hydrogen atoms in our body to attain quantum superposition. This effect is then used to generate the waves that are detected by the machine to create an image.
This translation of quantum properties into macroscopic effects when measured or observed is what has made this field one that defies conventional understanding. The very fact that a particle is present everywhere until it is measured and then is therefore forced to be somewhere, makes us question: what happens to all the other places it was at? This has led to theories such as the many worlds interpretation, popularly known as the multiverse theory. This has inspired entire sagas in science fiction, fantasy literature, and popular culture.
However, beyond the speculation and mystery lies a very real hope that these weird properties of quantum physics will trigger a new revolution in technology. From computing, communication, cryptography, and sensing, to quantum optics and quantum biology—the possibilities are many. Can research unravel how quantum mechanics converges with technology in the macroscopic world as we know it? Can we engineer sufficient control over the quantum nature of particles to enable everything from high-speed computation to some form of teleportation? Can our journey into the quantum realm reveal solutions for some of the critical planetary challenges we face today?
For this exhibition-season, we seek applications that are artistic or scientific inquiries, or both. We are looking to work with individuals or groups—preferably from across career and disciplinary backgrounds—who are critically exploring quantum research in its diverse forms in both the contemporary and historical contexts as well as those engaged with emerging frontiers of research.
Please Note: No cats were harmed in the making of this Open Call.
Science Gallery Bengaluru is looking for applications that can be artistic, scientific or both. They are interested in working with individuals or groups—preferably from across career and disciplinary backgrounds—who are critically exploring quantum research in its diverse forms in both contemporary and historical contexts as well as those engaged with emerging frontiers of research.
They accept projects from highly diverse disciplines that could include artworks, video, performance, sound, web-based work, socially engaged work, live experimentation, design, sharing of data from social science, medical, or natural science research – essentially they are not format-prescriptive! They also invite proposals for public programmes, and projects that go beyond the exhibition space.
THE DEADLINE FOR SUBMISSIONS IS 27TH FEBRUARY 2024 AT 23:59 IST (UTC+5:30)
WHEN WE ARE BOUNCING AROUND THE FLASHING PINBALL MACHINE OF EXISTENCE – IS OUR WAYWARD ATTENTION A WAY OF COPING WITH THE CHAOS?
DISTRACTION, which will plug into the streaming torrent of content and the places our brains go when we want to focus on anything but the thing. You know… that thing you’re supposed to be doing right now?
With a hundred tabs open and endless avenues to explore, Science Gallery Melbourne invites submissions exploring the playful ways we distract ourselves from the more serious parts of life. We have access to more than we can ever absorb, how do we harness the cacophony of content and find meaning within it?
With the aim of keeping it light and avoiding the doomspiral, some potential key perspectives / starting points / sub themes include (but are not limited to):
- Escapism
Play - Technology, video games, digital augmented realities
- Perceptions of time
- Information overload, memes
- Boredom, stimulation, daydreaming
- Work vs leisure, who gets to decide what is productive?
- Focus, attention
- Mindfulness, emotional regulation
This open call invites you to propose installations and research projects that can operate in a shared-space group exhibition context in a non-traditional gallery environment, where the light and sound conditions aren’t constant.
THE DEADLINE FOR SUBMISSIONS IS 20TH MARCH 2024 AT 23:59 AEDT (UTC+11)
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