Katarina Petrović
Katarina Petrović and Stephen Picken explore the possibilities of capturing sound particles in a vacuum in Approaching 0 (0rigin v.2.0)
Approaching 0 (0rigin v.2.0)
Can we ever come near the point of origin? Can we tend toward zero? In mathematics, zero can be approached from either positive or negative directions. By the same logic, we could ask this question from a negative direction: Can zero ever approach us? Could zero speak?
How we apprehend the nature of things is deeply connected to our understanding of nothing: the void. Although we can never fully understand the concept of nothing, obtain a perfect vacuum or reach zero in a physical system, coming ever closer to these conditions can bring us knowledge about the world and our perception of it. In this project, Katarina Petrović and Stephen Picken research the limits of human perception by exploring the properties of sound and vibrations in deep vacuum.
Approaching 0 (0rigin v.2.0) explores the fundamental question of what can be observed when approaching ‘zero’ in a physical setup. In collaboration with prof. Stephen Picken, Katarina is exploring the properties of sound and particle vibrations under extreme conditions of zero gas through performative, optical-acoustic experiments.
The setup consists of a vacuum chamber with aerosol particles and a vibrating gold membrane with a laser-photo sensor pickup. Particle motions in a vacuum are analogically converted from an electric to an acoustic signal making the smallest disturbances in the vacuum audible to the human ear. The installation would also include a projection, magnified image produced by laser reflections. The work would appear to show astronomical observations while the actual source would be almost too small to observe with the naked eye/ear.
This work is part of Katarina’s ongoing research into creative processes and the notion of Origin and is the continuation of the first prototype that explored the properties of sound in a vacuum, developed in Ljubljana in 2017. The installation will be presented at the Cultural Centre of Belgrade in 2023, Highlight festival Delft and Science Centre in Delft in 2023.
Katarina Petrović
Profile
Katarina Petrović (NL/RS) is an artist and researcher working at the intersection of art, science and humanities. Her work focuses on generative and creative processes, from meaning-making, poiesis and organisational systems to the physics of sound, light and vacuum. She creates systems and procedural works that are presented as modular installations in an online and offline space, using media such as generative text and poetry, sound, software and performance. Katarina holds an MFA degree from the Academy of Fine Arts in Belgrade and an MMus diploma from ArtScience Interfaculty, Royal Academy of Arts and Royal Conservatoire in The Hague where she works as a guest lecturer. She is also an instructor at the postgraduate School of Thinking and an affiliated researcher at the transdisciplinary research Center Leo Apostel, Vrije Universiteit in Brussels. Katarina is the co-initiator of several projects - ArtScience Forum and art podcast Femkanje and is currently the director of an artist-run space Trixie in The Hague.
Website
https://www.katarinapetrovic.net
Stephen Picken
Profile
Stephen Picken is professor of polymer materials at TU Delft. He started his career studying experimental and theoretical physics at Groningen University. After obtaining his drs. degree, in 1985, he worked at Akzo (Nobel) corporate research Arnhem while pursuing his PhD from Utrecht University (1990, cum-laude, promotores Prof.dr. H.N.W. Lekkerkerker, Dr.Ir. M.G. Northolt). He is a specialist in physical structure-property relationships in polymeric and liquid crystalline materials, in particular related to mechanical, optical, and functional properties (ultra-high performance fibres, optical displays elements, ionic polymer electrolytes, self-healing polymer nano-composites). His recent focus is on bio-based polymer materials sourced from waste treatment processes: the Kaumera® glycoprotein from industrial and municipal wastewater and the aliphatic biopolyester PHBV obtained from food & agricultural waste, and wastewater treatment processes.