The exhibition 'To the Edge of Time' draws on a combined art and science narrative to explore the groundbreaking scientific research of Professor Georges Lemaître, who first formulated the Big Bang theory at the dawn of the 20th century. And this tale of modern cosmology is nothing less than enchanting.

'To the Edge of Time' invites you to become part of the adventure that led to the Big Bang theory’s discovery. Encounter stunning modern and contemporary artworks. Learn about Albert Einstein’s revolutionary theory of relativity (aka the birth of modern cosmology), Georges Lemaître’s discovery of the universe in expansion, and Stephen Hawkings’ quantum theory and the multiverse. And it doesn’t stop there. Scientists from all over the world who have contributed to our current understanding of the cosmos share their stories as well.

'To the Edge of Time' is a harmonious illustration of the congruence between contemporary works of art and scientific objects depicting the key stages of the Big Bang theory and modern cosmology’s development. Concepts such as space, time, dimensions, geometry, and the size of the universe are the stars of this show. Come face to face with the preconditions of our existence, our observation processes, truth, illusion, and the unfathomable nature of reality throughout the exhibition.

'To the Edge of Time' features works of art by Haseeb Ahmed, Phoebe Boswell, Constantin Brâncuși, Rohini Devasher, Maurits Cornelis Escher, Andy Holden, Gavin Jantjes, Jackie Karuti, Melanie King, John Latham, Liliane Lijn, London Fieldworks, René Magritte, Kazimir Malevich, Cornelia Parker, Katie Paterson, Dawit L. Petros, Sarah Pickering, Leo Robinson, Semiconductor, Conrad Shawcross, Clare Strand, Thomson & Craighead, Stephan Tillmans, Suzanne Treister, Troika, Georges Vantongerloo, Jeronimo Voss, Mark Wallinger, Charmaine Watkiss, Grace Weir en Ni Youyu.

'To the Edge of Time' was a KU Leuven Libraries production for the BANG! Big Bang City Festival, a KU[N]ST Leuven initiative and a joint venture between KU Leuven and the City of Leuven. 

This exhibition was created in close collaboration with the UCLouvain Georges Lemaître archives, the Committee for Contemporary Art – KU Leuven, the Department of Physics and Astronomy – KU Leuven, Brout - Englert - Lemaître Center for Theoretical Physics, e-Media Research Lab – KU Leuven, The European Organization for Nuclear Research (CERN), and the Hawking Estate.

CURATORS

This exhibition is the product of a collaboration between KU Leuven cosmologist Thomas Hertog – long-time collaborator of the late Stephen Hawking – and independent curator, Hannah Redler Hawes.

Thomas Hertog is a well-known Belgian cosmologist and physicist. He studied physics at KU Leuven, afterwards going on to obtain his PhD under Stephen Hawking at the University of Cambridge in England. Later, he worked as a researcher at the University of California, Santa Barbara in the United States and the Paris Diderot University in France. In 2005, he became a fellow at CERN in Geneva. Hertog was appointed professor at KU Leuven’s Institute for Theoretical Physics in 2011. He is the head of a research group investigating the relationship between the Big Bang and String theory.

A contemporary art curator and researcher, Hannah Redler Hawes specialises in projects which raise social, cultural and ethical questions within the fields of art, data, science and technology. She works with museums, galleries, and universities across the world. Alongside her independent practice she is the Director of the Data as Culture art programme at the Open Data Institute. She developed her love of interdisciplinary narratives as Head of Arts Programme at the Science Museum Group, where she worked between 1999 and 2014. Hannah lectures, speaks and writes on multidisciplinary art and curating practices. She trained at Norwich School of Art and the Royal College of Art, London.