Invisible Worlds by Liliane Lijn

About

Prominent American-born artist Liliane Lijn will introduce recent collaborative work with scientists at the Space Sciences Laboratory and key projects; Stardust Ruins and Solar Hills, as well as undertaking a brief reading of Atomanotes published by Piece of Paper Press in October 2010. The audience will also be invited to ask questions in interaction with a 24 video screen presentation of past works displayed in the space.

Liliane Lijn was born in New York, studied in Paris and has lived in London since 1967. Working with light in its relation with matter, Lijn's research centred practice makes extensive use of new technologies in a variety of media and materials to create works that view the world as energy. Her work focuses on perception, its inherent ambiguities and contradictions, exploring reality as a complex web of relationships. Utilising highly original combinations of industrial materials and artistic processes, Lijn is recognised for pioneering the interaction of art, science, technology, eastern philosophy and female mythology.

An important reassessment of Lijn's work, accompanied by a monograph written by David Allan Mellor, was held in the summer of 2005 at the Mead Gallery, University of Warwick as part of their 40th anniversary celebrations. Lijn's ACE, NASA, Leonardo Network funded Residency at Space Sciences Laboratory, U. C. Berkeley led to a collaboration with scientists working on the NASA Stardust project, (in which particles of cosmic dust were collected using aerogel) and was exhibited at Riflemaker, London in 2008. It resulted also in Solar Hills, her collaboration with astrophysicist John Vallerga to create large-scale solar installations in the landscape. Lijn's work featured in the November 2008 BBC documentary, Let There Be Light. Recent architectural commissions have been for St. Mary's Hospital, Isle of Wight, St. Thomas Hospital, and the Evelina Childrens' Hospital in London. Her work is in numerous collections including Tate London, British Museum, V&A and FNAC in Paris.

Lijn is at present artist in residence at Culture Lab, Newcastle University. Samples of her work can be seen at: www.lilianelijn.com

Talks series curated by Keith Whittle in collaboration with Victoria and Albert Museum, South Kensington and in partnership with Central Saint Martins College of Art & Design, London. Part of the Victoria and Albert Museum's Digital Design Drop-in programme.