#beyondperception

From the vantage of a larger quantum system, our understanding of the cosmos could seem utterly alien. This idea may be intricate, but it offers a unique perspective. In this broader context, what we perceive as the vastness of space, say the distance between Earth and Mars, might be interpreted differently. Rather than an empty expanse, imagine this 'space' as an extensive database.

What we discern as the void or space between two celestial bodies could merely represent inaccessible sections of this vast cosmic database.

Visualize Earth and Mars as distinct points within a complex molecular-like structure. The intervening 'space', which we perceive as distance, consists of myriad other molecular-like configurations. These are, however, beyond our current perception, rendering them unseen or inaccessible from our plane of existence.

“To see a World in a Grain of Sand And a Heaven in a Wild Flower Hold Infinity in the palm of your hand And Eternity in an hour...”

The practical project for the module Beyond Perception has been quite challenging. I decided to work on scale straightaway by covering what human eyes cannot normally see: the infinite small and the infinite big. Regarding the essay I chose to research some aspects of the universe and how we perceive it as human beings, while for my photographs, at first I wanted to explore how information travel inside something like molecules or circuits by producing a time lapse. I gave up the idea quite soon because the project was almost impossible to realise due to the limitation of time and technologies. Then I was suggested to work on identity which would have made a good link with my written report. I started to experiment with fingerprints, which represent identity in an excellent way and I found myself fascinated at once. Because traces of fingerprints are not detectable under normal conditions, I need to make them more visible, I chose to use fluorescence: I put my finger on a slide and then I contaminated the fingerprints with some magnetic fluorescent powder used also by police; in order to make them “shine” I illuminated them with a portable UV lamp and then I took picture directly from the microscope with a Canon DSLR. This operation appeared to be not as easy as I thought, some issues emerged: I needed to focus the image directly from the camera which did not replicate the images as they would have resulted afterwards, moreover I had to hold the UV lamp and press the shutter at the same time being careful not to move anything. I could use the lamp only for a short time because it heated very quickly and the whole dark room with it (furthermore it is not advisable to expose the body to UV rays for a long time). Despite all the difficulties, the first pictures were beautiful and powerful; they didn’t look like fingerprints but more like constellations and so I decided to continue on this path in order to produce a work both practical and written that would have strongly linked together. Among the various colours of the powders, I chose red because it reminded me of blood and so the work that police does with fingerprints.

I chose this course because I wanted to challenge myself. I have never been really interested in science subjects, but I decided to give them a chance and this module represented the perfect collaboration between art and science. I have learned a lot about different approaches towards photography and now I am really glad I chose this module. Unfortunately I also encounter some troubles: firstly the amount of work was maybe to consistent for the short time available and I wasn't able to organise myself properly, secondly I was almost shocked by the lack of people during the lessons. We were always very few and not too collaborative as well, this has been maybe the principal reason why I didn’t feel inspired for the whole beginning of the module. This is a splendid course full of possibilities, but it certainly needs to be filled with people that interact with each other.

The title for my project is a quote from William Blake’s Auguries of Innocence, which I find to explain perfectly my intentions.

Third shooting in the laboratory for the practical project about fingerprints.

Technical notes:

-low power microscope

-camera Canon EOS 550D

-RGB colours

Second shooting in the laboratory for the practical project about fingerprints.

Technical notes:

-microscope Zeiss Primo Star, high power

-lenses; 40x (0,65)  10x (0,25)  4x (0,10)

-camera Canon EOS 550D

-RGB colours

3 types of microscope: Brightfield (most common), Darkfield, Fluorescence

Fluorescence: ability to absorb electromagnetic radiation at a certain wavelength and to emit a fraction of the energy absorbed as radiations of a different and longer wavelength.

The energy of light absorbed by an object is dissipated as heat or light of a different colour (different frequency or wavelength); in the case of UV, the rays excite the material which reacts emitting fluorescent light.

Fluorescent materials cease to be bright as soon as the light source stops to work.

The fluorescence can be direct (from a fluorescent material) or indirect (from a non fluorescent material contaminated with chemicals).

Fingerprints:

-means of personal identification (governments, police, criminals)

-there are no two identical ones

-face characteristic change with age, fingerprints don’t

-before photography police could only rely on memory

-end of 1800 Bertillon method (measurement of facial features and body parts)

-ancient times, used for commercial purposes (Babylon, China, Persia)

-mid 1800, sir Herschel collected fingerprints

-1600 England born of Royal Society

-Bidloo, Malpighi, Mayer, Purkinje contributed to the development of this practice

-Taylor speculated about using it for criminal hunting

-Faulds started to classify them by selecting the left thumb and forefinger

-used for signature as well

-with 20th century police started officially to use them to identify criminals

-after war, America started to computerise them (FBI)

-IAI international association for identification

-today is used even palm and iris