Dark Matter: Hide To Seek

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Dark matter, which makes up around 27% of the universe yet remains invisible and undetectable, is deeply significant to me as an artist. It serves as a metaphor for the unseen forces and hidden narratives that shape our lives. This fascination with the invisible aligns with my broader interest in exploring what lies beneath the surface—both in human experience and in the creative process. Through my work, I aim to create new methods of communicating research, particularly through the lenses of time, space, and visibility, transforming abstract, unknown phenomena into something we can engage with. This project, in collaboration with Sparshita Dey, a PhD student studying dark matter detection experiments, bridges our shared curiosity for what cannot be seen but undoubtedly exists, forming a rich dialogue between science and art.

In our research, Sparshita and I have discovered striking parallels between the elusive nature of dark matter and various aspects of South Asian history and mythology. For instance, within Hindu philosophy, the concept of Maya—the veil of illusion—obscures the true nature of reality, echoing the scientific enigma of dark matter that shapes the universe while remaining undetectable. Additionally, in Jain philosophy, darkness is often seen not as a void but as a space of potentiality, where understanding requires a deep engagement with the unseen. These cultural narratives provide us with alternative frameworks to approach and communicate the idea of dark matter, using methods rooted in traditional and spiritual understandings of the unknown. This has inspired me to experiment with new ways of visually representing the hidden and the unknowable in my artistic practice.

Furthermore, our exploration ties into broader mythological themes across different cultures, particularly the concept of the unknown as chaos. In both Hindu and Greek mythologies, chaos is portrayed as the primal force from which order and creation emerge. In Hindu cosmology, the universe itself is said to be born from the interplay of chaos and order, and in Greek mythology, Chaos is the void from which all existence springs. These stories reflect the human need to grapple with the unknown, offering a symbolic language to express what science and philosophy often struggle to articulate. Through this project, I aim to weave together these rich mythological themes with contemporary scientific research, offering viewers a unique way to reflect on the hidden aspects of the universe and our role within it.