(IN)Visible - (IN)Visible (2022)

Two Photon Lithography, SEM imaging, with the help of Somu(Somayajulu) and prof. Carlos Portela at Portela Lab at MIT

0.04mm x 0.04mm x  0.016mm

It is fascinating to think of the sheer contradistinction in the scale of the crafted sculpture(0.04mm in length) and the infrastructural, institutional foundation that enables to precisely fabricate and image of an invisible sculpture. But even with the most advanced imaging technology, one can only observe the texts on the top layer yet cannot comprehend the texts underneath. The invisible sculpture is not the texts that are invisible to the naked eye(observable), but the supporting foundation for the observable, which is much greater than the observable. 

(IN)Visible - (IN)Visible reflects upon our overreaching reliance on visual sensing in producing knowledge and understanding of art and science. With the help of Portela Research Group, this nanoscale sculpture is constructed with visibility further obscured and even mystified by nesting a sculpture upon a message to prevent a sneak peek from even the most advanced, thus vindicative optical instrument, an electron microscope. 

What is left to the viewer is a piece of a seemingly empty silicon wafer, a flat pedestal for invisible sculpture, a simple object of contemplation. Even further, the claim that the artist makes on the existence of the sculpture and the obscured texts, which is unobservable within a museum setting, tackles the profound ontological trust of object-based artwork.

Class instructor: Tobias Putrih(Lecturer at MIT ACT), Vladimir Bulovic(Director at MIT.nano)