' We are part or an aspect of the Universe experiencing and thinking about itself.' Edward Harrison [1].

This work is a series of etchings, and transfer prints of the night sky are constructed in a folded book that can be unfolded and stretched and then returned to a flat form. The opening and closing of the book is a performative act and part of the concept of the work. In the 16-19th century printmaking (woodcuts, engravings, etchings, and lithographs) played an important role in illustrating the ideas of scientists before the invention of photography. The work speculates on the notion of the universe and the nature of space. Einstein challenged the classical view of the universe as flat and unchanging by developing the idea that space could warp and stretch. Theories have proposed the notions of parallel universes and extra dimensions that may be ruled by other laws of physics [2].

1. Harrison, E., Masks of the Universe, Changing Ideas on the Nature of the Cosmos, Cambridge University Press, UK, Second Edition, 2003. p.1.
2. Greene, B., Fabric of the Cosmos, Penguin Books, London, UK. 2004.

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Marea Atkinson
South Australian School of Art, University of South Australia
1st Prize ( Open Category )

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