Is there life elsewhere in the Universe? How do we detect exoplanets? How do we hope to find life on exoplanets light-years away? What is “TRAPPIST-1”? What do exoplanets tell us about the famous “Fermi’s Paradox”?

The Copernican Revolution taught us that our Earth, far from being the center of the Universe, is only one among the many planets orbiting the Sun, which is itself similar in every respect to the stars lining the celestial vault. Later, astronomy revealed that there are hundreds of billions of stars in the Milky Way, our galaxy, and that there are hundreds of billions of galaxies in our expanding Universe. Faced with such immensity, it is very tempting to hypothesize the existence of other inhabited planets out there, and even of other advanced civilizations. Long confined to speculations, the existence of exoplanets, i.e. planets in orbit around other stars than the Sun, became a proven fact at the end of last century. Since then, more than 4000 exoplanets have been detected at an ever-accelerating pace. A few dozens of these are “potentially habitable”, i.e. they could be rocky worlds harboring oceans of water on their surface, like our Earth. Imagining complex forms of life on some of these planets is but a small step away, one that is happily crossed by science-fiction. But our imagination will eventually be replaced by real scientific measurements, as upcoming giant telescopes will soon be able to probe the atmospheric compositions of some of these extrasolar worlds, and, who knows, to reveal chemical traces of life out there. If so, our view of the Cosmos will change forever…

This concert was performed and recorded on October 24, 2021, Flagey Brussels

Event organized by Science & Cocktails in collaboration with the International Solvay Institutes.

Performers:
Composer: Benjamin Glorieux
Cellists: Benjamin Glorieux, Bryggen String Orchestra
Vincent Caers: electronics
Klaas Verpoest: live video

‘The Solitary One’ is a performative installation transforming the most extreme and paradoxical object that our universe harbours – a black hole – into an immersive audiovisual experience.

Visual artist Klaas Verpoest, sound artist Vincent Caers and cellist-composer Benjamin Glorieux tend to unite art and science in their individual work. A shared fascination for the inexplicable aspects of a black hole and the concepts of space and time led to a joint venture in which they explore the artistic potential of their combined disciplines for illustrating these themes. Along the way they collaborated with theoretical physicist Stéphane Detournay. Their aim is not to provide a scientific explanation, which remains the scientist’s task, but instead to create an immersive installation offering the audience an opportunity for experiencing cosmological phenomena and the incredible forces driving them.

October 23, 2021 – Februari 27, 2022: ‘Cosmos’ Exhibition – CID Grand Hornu, Hornu [B]
October 23, 2021: Opening performance ‘Cosmos’ Exhibition – CID Grand Hornu, Hornu [B]
February 18, 2022: Closing performance ‘Cosmos’ Exhibition – CID Grand Hornu, Hornu [B]
September 8, 2023 – February 4, 2024: Space is the Place exhibition – MUDAC, Lausanne (CH)
December 7, 2023: Space is the Place performance – MUDAC, Lausanne (CH)

Credits:
Vincent Caers: Sound Artist
Benjamin Glorieux: Cellist/Composer
Stéphane Detournay: Scientific Advisor
Klaas Verpoest: Video artist

In this lecture-performance, electronic musician Vincent Caers, theoretical physicist Thomas Hertog, and visual artist Klaas Verpoest take you on a voyage into a black hole, to the edge of time … and beyond.

The concert takes place in an inflatable dome and immerses the audience in a journey in 360º generative image and sound.

Performers:
Thomas Hertog: lecture
Vincent Caers: live electronics
Klaas Verpoest: video

Performed on November 29, 2021 – Planetarium Music Festival, Leuven [B]

‘Sichtlaut’ is an cross-media improvising collective, combining musicians, visual artists and dancers. Through each performance, they explore the borders of the different media involved.

Performers:
Peter Jacquemyn: Double Base | Voice
Jan Pillaert: bastuba | Voice
Vincent Caers: live electronics
Geraldo Si: dance
Lazara Rosell Albear: dance | pocket trumpet
Sofia Kakouri: dance | pocket trumpet
Klaas Verpoest: live video

Performed on October 24, 2019 – BAC Art Lab, Leuven [B]
Camera | Pierre Michel Zaleski

Sound receives a body. Movement creates traces. Form becomes sound. A game of feedback arises, dissolving the contours between instruments, players and material.

Peter Jacquemyn (double bass, voice), Jan Pillaert (tuba, voice), Klaas Verpoest (visuals), Geraldo Si (dance), Vincent Caers (live electronics, percussion) and Sofia Kakouri (dance) have been performing together in different configurations. Fundamental to their collaboration is the improvisational approach, the equality of art-forms and the transfer of each performer’s attitude into an unique interdisciplinary experience, adopting each others strategy.

By definition, music and movement are temporary, mobile and repeatable. Plastic arts are unique, static and made for eternity. The collective brings unique, not repeatable music and exercise combined and confronted with plastic arts and this with a pronounced temporary performance character. The action leads to the idea, the interaction shows the way.

28.10.2017: Impact Session – Vooruit, Gent
26.01.2018: sound//vision at International Film Festival Rotterdam – WORM, Rotterdam
14.10.18: Lovt, Brussels
20.10.18: Open Studio – BatimentA, Leuven
28.11.18: Show Research #7 – Terrarium, Brussels

Performers:
Peter Jacquemyn: Double Base | Voice
Jan Pillaert: bastuba | Voice
Vincent Caers: live electronics
Klaas Verpoest: live video
Geraldo Si: dance
Lazara Rosell Albear & Sofia Kakouri: dance | pocket trumpet

Pictures by Marilyn Desmet