Group Show

Confirmed recordings of undulations in the fabric of space time, gravitational waves, were announced for the first time on February 11th, 2016 at the Laser Interferometer Gravitational-Wave Observatory (LIGO). Expanding upon 100 years of theory and the very nature of our understanding of gravity, Albert Einstein’s Theory of Relativity stands true.

Completing the majority of this theory by 1915 this creation of concept would defy explanation, and can be seen as another example of the human and universal trait that is creation before or over explanation. The creation of gravitational waves is purely organic and a necessity before anything else.

On the same day LIGO announced this miraculous finding rapper Kanye West debuted his album, The Life of Pablo, at Madison Square Garden, New York City. Opening with the first song featured on the album, Ultralight Beam, the audience would hear words spoken by Samoria Green and Natalie Green, “We don’t want no devils in the house, God (Yes, Lord). We want the Lord (Yes, Jesus)”. Appealing to another form of Creator, a creator who made man in his own image. Mere hours before this event the title of the album was yet to be released and existed only as the acronym T.L.O.P.

As speculation was rife in regards to what this acronym could possibly stand
for, interested parties and supporters of LIGO were up in arms regarding the theft of the significance of their day by pop culture and mass media, with confidence that the Kanye West album was to be named True Love Over Physics. Referencing and piggy- backing off the announcement of the existence of readable gravitational waves, the product of the collision between two black holes, 1.3 billion years ago.

As insignificant as a song may seem in the grand scheme of things, particularly in comparison to a ground-breaking scientific discovery, it is still creation formed from a concept to be enjoyed or critiqued and even unexpectedly linked to the LIGO announcement. Just as we would listen to music, “We can now hear the universe” said LIGO physicist Gabriela Gonzalez.

At the heart of the universe itself, and in turn mankind, whether it be a cosmic collision of unimaginable size, or the release of a rapper’s newest LP, is creation over everything. Before life, before progress and before even an idea itself, the need for creation is discernable. For what is a concept without a thought? A need to foster creation is an inherent quality and often spontaneous or sub-conscious, the beauty of which is that this need is explored internally before ‘how’ or ‘why’ can often even be considered.