MILAN.- HangarBicocca is presenting On Space Time Foam, a major exhibition project by Tomás Saraceno, the visionary artist known for his surprising structures that draw the public into extraordinary spatial and emotional experiences. The monumental work for HangarBicocca is composed of a transparent surface accessible to visitors, hanging at a height of 20 metres and covering 400 square metres on three layers, for a total of 1,200 square metres. This work of creativity and scientific research was made possible through the interaction of skills and experiences in a broad array of fields of knowledge, and thanks to Pirelli's support.
On Space Time Foam is a structure composed of three levels of thin clear film raised and set on the walls of the “Cubo” at HangarBicocca covering an area of 400 square metres. The large soft and floating film welcomes visitors who will thus find themselves moving mid-air between the floor and the ceiling, earth and sky, and it compels them to lose their spatial coordinates.
Saraceno engages with the concept of boundary, challenging it and conceiving a pioneering device activated by the visitors’ participation. On Space Time Foam transforms architecture into a living organism, one that breathes thanks to the movements of those who cross it, visualizing the infinite relationships that tie us to space. As the artist explains, “the films constituting the living core of HangarBicocca are constantly altered by climate and the simple movement of people. Each step, each breath, modifies the entire space: it is a metaphor for how our interrelations affect the Earth and other universes.”
According to the official biography of Tomás Saraceno, born in San Miguel de Tucumán, Argentina, 39 years ago, he “lives and works between and beyond the planet Earth”. An artist, architect and world citizen who has always studied alternate universes, Saraceno is bringing a brand-new site-specific installation to Milan, combining science and art. Curated by Andrea Lissoni, Saraceno’s project will flank Carsten Nicolai’s audiovisual installation unidisplay (until 2 December) and, during the winter, it will be part of a rich programme of free initiatives that HangarBicocca is offering different categories of visitors: guided tours, films and activities for children.
On Space Time Foam is the central work on Saraceno’s path of experimentation and, in fact, he was the first artist to be invited to participate in the new residency project at the Center for Art, Science & Technology (CAST), part of Boston’s prestigious Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) in Cambridge, Massachusetts. During his residency at MIT, he will develop his work on the Cloud City series. On Space Time Foam, the project created for HangarBicocca, will become a floating biosphere to be positioned over the Maldives, made habitable thanks to solar panels and a system to desalinate seawater.
