A woman wearing blue top and pants poses in front of a camera in a grey, metallic, futuristic industrial room.

Sensing Dark Matter

Presented by Science Gallery Melbourne and Asia TOPA, Arts Centre Melbourne

Sensing Dark MatterSu Wenchi

Sensing Dark Matter is a VR experience merging art and physics, inviting viewers to explore a speculative universe where dark matter and its gravitational effects become perceptible.

Dates

20 February 20251 March 2025

Venue

Science Gallery Melbourne

World Premiere.

Submerge yourself in Sensing Dark Matter, an atmospheric virtual reality experience that merges art and science.

Sensing Dark Matter transports viewers into a speculative reality where advanced technology enables us to perceive dark matter. Using VR headsets and spatial audio, participants navigate the universe, experiencing cosmic forces.

To create Sensing Dark Matter, the celebrated Taiwanese artist Su Wenchi and her team of collaborators embarked on a residency at the Stawell Underground Physics Laboratory – one kilometer underground in regional Victoria – and collaborated with leading scientists at the University of Melbourne.

Sensing Dark Matter re-imagines the science behind our universe and gives participants the opportunity to have a close encounter with one of the most mysterious forces in the cosmos: dark matter. This remarkable VR journey offers us a unique vision of our connection to the hidden fabric of the universe.


Images: YILAB

I'm wondering how humans confront the unknown. In which language do we reveal a mystery, and to what extent do we keep the secrets (or facts) untold?

— Su Wenchi (Artist)