Conjuring the Void

An evocative and richly illustrated exploration of modern art about black holes.

Inescapable and mysterious, black holes have long captured the imagination of visual artists, even before their existence was first confirmed in 1971. In Conjuring the Void, Lynn Gamwell explores this fascinating intersection of art and science. Starting with a chronological description of key developments in the science of black holes, Gamwell builds a foundation for the reader through visualizations of black holes created by scientists, depicting how a black hole’s extreme gravity affects visible objects in its vicinity. From there, the book explores how artists have addressed the challenge of visualizing black holes by developing new methods of working with diverse materials, including a black paint that absorbs 99.96% of visible light.

Gamwell looks at how certain themes within the science of black holes—nothingness, emptiness, darkness, void, silence—are prominent in traditional Eastern thought traditions as well as in modern abstract art. She also considers the work of contemporary artists such as Anish Kapoor, Olafur Eliasson, Takashi Murakami, and Danh Vō, and discusses how they have explored these themes and more in their artworks. The book concludes with a look forward, describing dramatic developments in the imagery of black holes and their changing influence on visual culture.Foreword by Neil deGrasse Tyson
1 Black Hole Basics
2 Historical and Philosophical Background to Imaging Black Holes
3 Artistic and Scientific Images of Invisible Objects
Notes
Acknowledgments
Photo and Diagram Credits
Index"A stunning convergence of art and science that plumbs the depths of black holes, both cosmic and cultural . . . arrestingly beautiful.” – Kirkus“A visually arresting voyage through a fascinating convergence of art and science, exploring one of the universe’s most mesmerizing and enigmatic phenomena—black holes.”
—Brian Greene, physicist, Columbia University; author of The Elegant Universe and Until the End of Time

“Gamwell thoughtfully investigates the relationship between form and emptiness and confirms the enduring creative power of scientific curiosity.”
—Xu Bing, artist

“A visual treat for anyone interested in the mystery of black holes. Gamwell deftly captures their hold on our imagination and conveys why we astrophysicists are obsessed with them.”
—Priyamvada Natarajan, astrophysicist, Yale University; author of Mapping the Heavens

“In this richly illustrated and well-documented book, author Lynn Gamwell shows how art and science combine to create inspiring representations of the most intriguing objects in the universe: black holes. A fascinating read!”
—Jean-Pierre Luminet, astrophysicist, Laboratoire d’Astrophysique de Marseille; author of Black Holes

“A definitive survey on the cultural impact of black holes, which astutely perceives the connection of the science of black holes with Eastern philosophies, compelling Asian artists like myself to give form to these formless objects.”
—Yambe Tam, artistLynn Gamwell teaches the history of art, science, and mathematics at the School of Visual Arts in New York. She is the former director of the Art Museum of the State University of New York at Binghamton, a coauthor of Dreams 1900–2000, which won a 2000 Gradiva Award, and the author of Exploring the Invisible and Mathematics and Art.