Additional information
| Artist | Laurence O'Toole |
|---|---|
| Year | 2019 |
| Material | Cast Jesmonite, pigment and acrylic paint |
| Dimensions | 5 pieces – 4 x 4 x 30 cm |
Indistinguishable from Magic
€800.00
By Laurence O’Toole – View Artist’s Profile
These pieces are part of a body of work concerning unseen matter or forces. I wanted to represent a 3-dimensional shadow. This could be the shape of dark matter framed by normal matter or the outline of an invisible solid. The cross sections of these sculptures are based on ‘Zener Cards’. These playing cards, with their series of 5 symbols, were designed by perceptual psychologist Karl Zener in the early 1930s. They were used during his infamous experiments in extra sensory perception that were later thoroughly discredited.
Description
When the proper scientific controls were implemented during repeated experiments the results were found to be equal to mere random guessing. This put me in mind of a quote from Arthur C. Clark that, “… any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic”. I considered a variation on that idea; that undiscovered or misunderstood forces are also indistinguishable from magic. I see belief in the paranormal as a rational stopgap before science can better explain a phenomenon. The columns I have created signify a meeting of unseen forces and the paranormal, occupying the same physical space and time.
