AXION

a temporary large-scale light installation for a desert place

The “axion” is a hypothetical elementary particle. If axions exist, they might be a component of cold dark matter. Cosmologists today believe only a fraction of our universe is made up of stars, planets, and living organisms. The other 95% of the universe is dark matter and dark energy. The cold dark matter theory describes how the universe went from a smooth initial state to the uneven distribution of galaxies and their clusters we see today. With AXION, light artist Christopher Bauder and composer KiNK explore the ultimate horizon: Outer Space.

This enormous temporary light show has been created specifically for deserts and other dusty environments. With its grid like array of light tubes and moving lights, it resembles a giant scientific device for space exploration or particle detection. But once inside, it is a reflection on the potential of axions, dark matter and the idea of the unknown.