Yonder Talks - Ligia Bouton
Time-slip Spectrum: Exploring the collision of art, science, and history
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Ligia Bouto Ligia Bouton is an artist whose sculpture and photography examine narratives from science and history to explore the human experience of time. |
Abstract
This talk will explore the “new star” studied in 1572 by the Danish astronomer Tycho Brahe with the help of his sister, Sophia, who was an astronomer, chemist, and historian in her own right. We know now that this star was actually a Type 1A supernova which currently exists only as a remnant, a giant cloud of expanding debris made up of mostly iron particles.
In 2008, a light echo of the original supernova was discovered, allowing scientists to experience an event that happened 400 years in the past for a 2nd time. This form of time travel has inspired my interest in how a piece of data, such as the light spectrum of SN1572 captured at the Subaru telescope during observations of the light echo, can be used to weave together disparate moments in history and geographical locations that are thousands of miles apart.
Bringing together photographs and footage of the ruins of Herrevads Castle in Sweden where the Brahe’s first observed the supernova with imagery from my recent research trip to Maunakea in Hawai’i to visit with scientists at the Subaru Telescope, I will also address how my work combines digital mediums directly with materials produced in a Type 1A supernova explosion such as iron and common silicon compounds.
Yonder Talks is a colloquia talk series hosted by Yonder Art•Science at the Niels Bohr Institute, where we aim to showcase synergies between art and science.The series is designed to share inspiring stories about the uncharted possibilities that appear when artistic and scientific methodologies intersect.
Whatever your discipline, we hope these stories will plant the seeds of something new. Each colloquium will be followed by a reception.
Everyone is welcome!