Following the successful launch of the Yale Quantum Institute Artist-in-Residence Program in Summer 2017 and the overwhelmingly positive reception of the artistic residency of Martha Willette Lewis (read the summary of her year here) by YQI students, faculty members, and the general public who took part in the project and attended the related events (over 200 people attended our events), we will continue exploring art as a medium to increase our understanding and discourse of quantum physics.
For this academic year we welcome Spencer Topel as artist-in-residence. Spencer is an artist working with sound, installation, and performance. He is a recipient of numerous awards and honors, including a Danish International Visiting Artist Residency in 2013 (DIVA), the Palmer Dixon Prize from the Juilliard School for best composition, BMI and ASCAP Awards, and was an artist-in-residence with the Meitar Ensemble in July 2014 (Tel Aviv). His work has been presented in major galleries and concert halls around the world, including Carnegie Hall, Lincoln Center, the DeCordova Museum, The Barnes Foundation, The Arts Club of Chicago, and others. In addition to his art practice, Topel is an active researcher and designer working with acoustics and sound, and is a tenure-track faculty member at Dartmouth College.
In this role Topel will interact with our faculty members and students, attend our colloquia and events, and produce music and sound pieces based on the work of YQI researchers and their collaboration. Possible ideas being explored in this residency include sonification and manipulation of quantum signals for the purpose of synthesizing sound, analyzing the sonic/musical implications of phonon lasers, and use acoustic acquisition methods to determine the origins of the noise observed in the signals. These projects will help researchers better understand their signals with the help of Spencer’s expertise in sound and acoustics, and will engage the public through talks on quantum science from sonic and musicalperspectives, with the intent of making this subject more accessible to the general audience.
A series of public events will be hosted at YQI to showcase the work Spencer and the YQI members will create during the residency. To be informed of the upcoming events, consider subscribing to YQI public events newsletter or check our calendar.