In 1783, English natural philosopher John Michell proposed one of the earliest scientific ideas resembling what we now call a black hole. Working within Newtonian physics, Michell reasoned that if a star were sufficiently massive and compact, its escape velocity could become greater than the known speed of light. Under the theory of light available to him, light leaving the star would therefore be pulled back by its immense gravity and prevented from reaching a distant observer. The result would be something extraordinary: a massive object existing in space while remaining invisible against the darkness surrounding it.
Framing Note: Frames are selected by the artist and are included primarily to protect the artwork during handling and transit. Collectors are welcome to reframe the artwork after receipt according to their personal preference.
Material: Mixed Metals
Imperial
Piece: 30" × 40"
Frame: 34" × 44.5"
Weight: 10.32 lbs
Metric
Piece: 76.2 × 101.6 cm
Frame: 86.4 × 113 cm
Weight: 4.68 kg
In 1783, English natural philosopher John Michell proposed one of the earliest scientific ideas resembling what we now call a black hole. Working within Newtonian physics, Michell reasoned that if a star were sufficiently massive and compact, its escape velocity could become greater than the known speed of light. Under the theory of light available to him, light leaving the star would therefore be pulled back by its immense gravity and prevented from reaching a distant observer. The result would be something extraordinary: a massive object existing in space while remaining invisible against the darkness surrounding it.
Framing Note: Frames are selected by the artist and are included primarily to protect the artwork during handling and transit. Collectors are welcome to reframe the artwork after receipt according to their personal preference.
Material: Mixed Metals
Imperial
Piece: 30" × 40"
Frame: 34" × 44.5"
Weight: 10.32 lbs
Metric
Piece: 76.2 × 101.6 cm
Frame: 86.4 × 113 cm
Weight: 4.68 kg
