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Oct 20-23, 2023

Exploring Time as a Continuous Present

Traditional thinking about time is based on the idea of a linear progression, where events occur in a sequence: past, present, and future. In this view, the past is fixed and unchangeable, the present is constantly moving forward, and the future is yet to unfold.

Drawing inspiration from the groundbreaking ideas of physicist Julian Barbour, “Block Universe” invites you to challenge these conventional notions of reality, creating a space where the boundaries that typically demarcate past, present, and future gently blur into a captivating mosaic.

Barbour’s theory suggests that the linear view of time is an illusion. Instead, he proposes that the universe exists entirely in a series of individual «nows,» each one representing a snapshot of the entire universe at a specific moment. These «nows» are not connected in a linear fashion but exist independently.

The «block time» or «block universe» theory is mostly referred to as “eternalism.” In the block universe, all moments in time, past, present, and future, exist simultaneously. It’s as if the entire timeline of the universe is a static, unchanging block, with every event already «written» into it.

The curators of the exhibition would like to encourage visitors to challenge their intuitive sense of time as a continuous and flowing experience. Past, present, and future are equally real and coexist.

Amidst this exploration, the show features a variety of mediums, from on-chain artworks (digital art/content registered and stored on a blockchain), to interactive and physical installations.

The range of artifacts displayed forms a bridge between past and future. Additionally, tools reminiscent of distant times paired with relatively new technology, serve as a reminder of our ongoing quest to grasp the profound concept of time.

Artists: Manon Pretto, Victor Vaysse, Olivain Porry, Nino Filiu, Anaïs Legros, Constance Valero, Olivier Bémer.