Yorkshire Artspace is proud to announce the next exhibition in their ‘Ways of Making’ series: ‘The Unknown’ by Spanish-born painter Arantza Pardo. The exhibition will be launching at the Persistence Works Gallery on 19th September at 5pm and will be open Thursday – Sunday every week until 27th October. Responding to the theme of materiality, ‘The Unknown’ will present several large paintings that draw from astrophysical research in an attempt to visualize what lies beyond our perception. In addition, Pardo has also created an immersive Virtual Reality experience which was made in collaboration with Sheffield-based design studio Virtual Pixel. The VR will reveal hidden worlds to visitors; transporting them directly into the paintings and offering the opportunity to question what we know and believe.
Whilst Pardo has been painting for many years, the VR aspect of her art is new – it began last year when she approached Virtual Pixel for help bringing her paintings to life. “When Virtual Pixel and I met we connected immediately,” says Pardo, adding that they began experimenting straight away. “I tried some attempts with animation, but I knew my paintings could be used to go further.” When the VR world began to emerge, Pardo was delighted. “We finally transported people to my painter’s mind,” she says. “The VR layers work as ideas and patterns that connect together – it’s the same way that I create an abstract painting”.
Her work is making waves in the scientific field too, as scientists look for new ways to visualise the unknown frontier. “Our best theories of nature succeed by acknowledging their ignorance of truly fundamental scales,” says Chris Shepherd, a researcher in particle physics at the University of Manchester. He proposes that Pardo’s work might hold the key to unlocking some of the deeper secrets of the universe. “In this series of paintings, I sense the cosmic horror that lurks beyond these limitations – something unknown, and perhaps unknowable through the language of mathematics.”
Click here to book tickets for the opening event and for free VR painting sessions which will run on Saturdays.
