Björn Dahlem

Björn Dahlem uses simple, commonly found materials to refer to complex scientific theories or models used in cosmology, astronomy, and physics. Dahlem is the son of a physicist, and has been interested in the inherent contradictions posed by models and diagrams of abstract concepts and knowledge. He turns these concerns into large-scale, sometimes immersive installations with flea market finds, wooden planks, and commercial light tubes. He chooses these materials because his aim is, as he describes, “to stay as close to the idea [as possible] and the immaterial image of the imagination.” Dahlem’s intricate visualizations of scientific phenomena attempt to draw out the existential questions present within these models and theories: of failed utopias, spirituality, and human existence.