(2006 – 2008)
Quantum Blue: Illuminating Artistry Through X-lam
Quantum Blue is an exceptional series of art projects brought to life through the ingenious creation of X-lam, a complex apparatus engineered by Tadej Komavec.
Introduction
X-lam functions as a digital conduit into the realm of human consciousness. Similar to Schrödinger’s cat, it resides in a dual state of both displaying and concealing images. Its manifestation depends entirely on the viewer’s perspective.
Human vision is acutely sensitive to sharp contrasts. For instance, staring into the sun leaves a residual light circle even after our eyes are closed. X-lam leverages this physiological phenomenon to fabricate images that exclusively exist within our minds.
In Memoriam Igor Zabel: A Tribute through Quantum Blue
Curator Igor Zabel’s untimely passing due to post-surgical complications cast a somber cloud over the opening of the 95-05 exhibition at the Museum of Modern Art. Quantum Blue offered a unique opportunity for the audience to reconnect with Igor, momentarily sharing their thoughts. Inverting the Quantum Blue video surprisingly unveiled a finely detailed image, as depicted in the accompanying video.
Exhibited in Museum of modern art, Ljubljana, 2005
Bending Einsteins’s Time-Space into a Quantum Texture
Navigating spatial dimensions has been a recurring motif in visual arts, and with X-lam, it takes on intricate layers. Within Newton’s physics, a thin line is relegated to one dimension. The observer introduces the temporal dimension (Einstein’s fourth dimension of time-space) as their gaze traverses the line. The fusion of one spatial and one temporal dimension creates a two-dimensional mental image for the observer. Normally, a two-dimensional image is at a measurable distance from the observer (the third spatial dimension). However, an X-lam image resides within the observer, akin to a negative dimension. Furthermore, the enigma of the quantum uncertainty principle persists: until X-lam is observed, an image coexists with its absence.
Exhibited at Break 2.3, Ljubljana, 2005
A Pseudo Voodoo Ritual: The Convergence of Quantum Blue and Rave Culture
X-lam seamlessly integrates into the pulse of a rave party. Amid pulsating rhythms, strobing lights, and a pulsating crowd, the allure of techno-sorcery like Quantum Blue becomes irresistible. As dancers sway and oscillate, Quantum Blue becomes a captivating presence.
Final Flash City 6.4, Izola, 2005
Inside the Web Server: Navigating the Digital Infrastructure
Ever wondered how it feels to embody the very data coursing through the Internet’s veins?
Step into a dim room where X-lam units inhabit each corner, interspersed with speakers. Upon each request for a file from the author’s web server, a synthetic voice resonates, naming the file as the nearest X-lam illuminates its image. As users heed the voices emanating from various directions, their gaze traverses the X-lam, momentarily projecting the image of the requested file into their mind’s eye.
Exhibited at Heureka ’05, Gospodarsko razstavišče, Ljubljana, 2005
Alphabet City Topography
Marrying technology and dance presents a formidable challenge. The stream of digits stands juxtaposed to the fluidity of the human body in motion. Letters resemble digits, assuming meaning only when woven into words. In an enthralling performance centered on the 19th-century “alphabet war,” dancers engaged with a suspended X-lam, projecting letters from diverse alphabets.
Performance at Alphabet City Topography, Metelkova mesto, 2006
The Ghost of Tutankhamun: Shattering the Selfie Mold
The modern approach to cultural and historical landmarks often involves snapping a quick selfie before moving on. Fleeting, superficial, and lacking depth.
But can you snap a selfie with Tutankhamun? The enigmatic X-lam forces a choice—either you or the landmark. Attempting to capture both results in a blurred image. However, capturing your face yields a vertical light line on the X-lam. Despite this, a frenzied rush surrounded the Quantum Blue in Cairo.
Crush in front of the room with Quantum blue at the 10th Cairo International Biennale, Egypt, 2006
* In 2006, Quantum Blue graced Device.art exhibitions across Zagreb, Belgrade, and San Francisco. There, four X-lams illuminated four distinct sacred texts, offering a unique experience—texts we acknowledge but cannot decipher.
** In 2010, Quantum Blue was showcased at the Contemporary Arts Museum Celje, revealing various eyes that gazed back at the viewer. As we looked upon it, Quantum Blue peered into our souls in return.