“Quantum Uncertainty: Fragmentations in Art, Life and Reality” presented by Ironside

“The third dimension is but a shadow cast by the fourth.” _Marcel Duchamp

Introduction
In this paper I wish to explore the philosophical implications and metaphorical relationships between quantum theory and art. Few theorists have attempted to broach this subject and at first glance, arcane equations and subatomic debris appear to have little relevance to visual art. But if art is a creative endeavour that reflects human experience and understanding of the universe, then if that understanding changes, so too must the art we create. Art today largely remains a reflection or meditation on a concrete, classical understanding of the universe. Almost everything ever painted, sculptured or drawn is solid, continuous, structured and knowable. But at its smallest units the universe is fragmented, random and uncertain. I wish to examine the impact of this on today’s electronic culture and draw parallels with the increasingly fragmented lives we live… and its implications on the art we create.