Dimensions

Do we live in a multi-dimensional universe?

There are two ways to look at this question. One comes from an Indigenous Moana cosmology and the answer is yes. In order to fully understand Moana awareness, the dimensionality and energy all around us must be considered.

Another way to look at the question is from the view of Superstring Theory, currently a leading explanation of the universe at quantum level. According to the maths of this theory, there must be additional dimensions. This position was not sought by mathematicians, it was forced on them as a consequence of the equations they were using. There are differing theories with differing numbers of extra dimensions, but I often go for ten dimensions as clearly if you believe there are eleven dimensions or more, you would agree there must be at least ten.

So, if I believe in the reality of these extra dimensions, is there a way creatively, to see them? That’s what this page is about.

Whatever this photo is of, it isn’t of the urn in the usual sense. It is a better photograph of the Norfolk Pine tree branch outside my studio. Then there is the light to consider, and the double glazing giving a three layer appearance. It is a collision of realities, usually hidden from view.

The big bang was a special type of mirror, that respects the laws of symmetry – Neil Turok

Dark energy

There is a Māori karakia (Te Aka Māori Dictionary is a good place to find translations) which refers to twelve states of nothing, whereas in the West, dark energy and dark matter are ‘mysterious.’ On the ethical side of things, surrendering to the unknown allows it to become your ally, as my kumu (teacher) told. If you look at the above, clearly what is not seen, the nothing, plays a role in keeping everything intact. This is an intuitive image to try and describe the role of dark energy in our lives.

LAKA

Here worlds meet, the world outside the window – Onehunga Mall, the world of the image I created on the window, and inside Laka itself. Then there is the life of those inside. The extra dimensions are really hard to touch, but can be glimpsed portal like, from time to time.

Te Moana Nui – Aotearoa – Hitiaurevareva – Peru

What is the spacetime address of this image? On the one hand, it is in the Auckland City Art Gallery Toi o Tāmaki. But then it is not just a picture of that space. There is a large scale photo-composite, and the angle I took the photo specifically registers my motu whakapapa – Aotearoa and Hitiaurevareva (Pitcairn, the white dot in centre of the image). Then there is also Peru. Peru is the source of tiputa and kumara, and the DNA connection to the Marquesas is now established as 1150CE.

The photo composite has collapsed a large quantity of spacetime, which is further collapsed into the space of the gallery and collapsed once byt the photograph which is and isn’t a self portrait.

Urn – Studio – Norfolk Pine

Even better of the Norfolk Pine, although this isn’t a photo of the pine. Or a photo of the urn. Or the light. But then it is.