ALEXANDER HAHN

electronic media artist

Video

MY OWN PRIVATE UNIVERSE - THE GREAT ATTRACTOR

((1999, 5:14', loop, projection)   


In this reconstruction of my New York apartment, the room is divided by a solid Pompeian wall, that keeps a small sun in its gravitational bind. Outside, day turns into night - time-lapsed. At some point, the window opens, and a number of planets float inside, parade past the solitary sun and disappear. Inner and outer infinity melt into one single space, which, like our earth, our solar system, the whole Milky Way and other galaxies is racing towards an invisible Great Attractor. 


Since this work was created, the existence of Nemesis, our sun's hypothetical twin has been disproved. On Sep 16, 2011, astronomers announced the discovery of the first planet circling a binary star, Kepler-16b.


This computer animation is part of the triptych My Own Private Universe, on permanent display (rear projection) in the Swisscom Management building near Bern, Switzerland.