Art et physique
The Variations Physiques are a set of artistic creations inspired by scientific research. Created between 2018 and 2020, they include two virtual reality trips – from which two flat films were recorded – and a collection of algorithmic paintings.
You can find all associated past and coming events on the dedicated page.
Even though Variations Physiques led to other series of immersive artistic creations, the third volume might come out one day.
Produced in autumn 2018 during an artistic residency at Laboratoire de Physique ENS de Lyon, Variations Physiques vol. 1 VR experience is a contemplative journey in a world made of particles inspired by 3 physics experiments.
Along with the movements of a violin-based composition, particles evolve smoothly under the influence of force field equations. The depiction of three experiments in the fields of turbulence and magneto-hydrodynamics evokes successive steps of scientific approach: observation and analysis, understanding and modelling, then projection and discovery.
Born from an encounter between artist Alex Andrix and physicist Mickael Bourgoin, this project and its VR experience have been presented to the public in late 2018 and 2019.
Produced in 2019 after scientific immersion at Centre de Recherche Astrophysique de Lyon, Laboratoire des Matériaux Avancés and Laboratoire de Physique ENS de Lyon, Variations Physiques vol. 2 VR experience is a new immersive trip, inspired by galaxy formation, gravitational waves and collective intelligence.
Variations Physiques vol. 2 VR experience premiered in October 2019 at Fête de la Science, ENS de Lyon.
See our Events page for more information about past and coming dates.
Between september and october 2018, as the Variations Physiques vol. 1 VR experience was being created, Alex Andrix produced a series of 8 artworks inspired by physics.
Generated out of an algorithmic process, the paintings are captures of animations where particles leave trails in space or on a two-dimensional canvas. Force field equations rule the particles motion while their positions are marked with simple shapes like dots or lines, which altogether create the final output.
4 artworks are a re-exploration of one of Alex’s previous art series on gravitation, while the 4 others are directly inspired by physics experiments studied at Laboratoire de Physique ENS de Lyon during Variations Physiques vol. 1 residency: the Lagrangian Exploration Module by Mickael Bourgoin and his team, the Plasma Column by Nicolas Plihon and his team, and the Planeterrella by Jean Lilensten.
An online gallery was set up for showcasing purposes during exhibitions.
From May 2019 onwards, the paintings decorate corridor walls at Laboratoire de Physique ENS de Lyon.
Oct. 07-17, 2022 (details to come)
Variations Physiques vol. 1 & 2 – VR experience
Fête de la Science, ENS Lyon – Lyon, France
June & July 2023
Variations Physiques vol. 2 – VR experience
Symposium on the Physics of Star Formation: From Stellar Cores to Galactic Scales, CRAL, Lyon, France
Oct. 11-12-13, 2018
Variations Physiques vol. 1 – Whole exhibition
Fête de la Science, ENS Lyon – Lyon, France
Oct. 24 & 26, 2018
Variations Physiques vol. 1 – VR exprience, film, gallery
Events at ENS Lyon – Lyon, France
Nov. 2018 – Mar. 2019
“Exposition Alex Andrix” (190cm x 270cm prints) with 2 artworks from Variations Physiques vol. 1 paintings gallery & VR experience
École Centrale de Lyon – Écully, France
May 16, 2019
Inauguration of ENS Lyon building wing M2 with permanent gallery of 8 artworks
Laboratoire de Physique ENS Lyon – Lyon, France
May 17, 2019
Variations Physiques vol. 1 – VR experience
Pop’Sciences Festival – Lyon, France
May 23-24-25, 2019
Variations Physiques vol. 1 – VR experience
DN[A] Festival – Grenoble, France
Sep. 06-07, 2019
Variations Physiques vol. 1 – VR experience
Crossed Pathways in Turbulence conference, ENS Lyon – Lyon, France
Oct. 03-04-05-06, 2019
Variations Physiques vol. 1 – VR & print gallery
Musée des Confluences, Village des Sciences, CNRS 80th anniversary – Lyon, France
Oct. 11-12, 2019
Variations Physiques vol. 2 – VR experience
ENS de Lyon site Monod, Fête de la Science – Lyon, France
Oct. 17, 2019
Variations Physiques vol. 1 & vol. 2 – VR experience
JoGLy, 2ème Journée sur les Ondes Gravitationnelles à Lyon, ENS Lyon – Lyon, France
Oct. 22-23, 2019
Variations Physiques vol. 1 – VR experience
GDR Phénoménologie de la Turbulence, ENS Lyon – Lyon, France
Nov. 08-09, 2019
Variations Physiques vol. 1 – VR experience
Festival Pléiades – Saint-Étienne, 20bis rue de la République, France
Nov. 25-26-27, 2019
Variations Physiques vol. 2 – VR experience
Turbulence and instabilities in plasma flows conference, École Centrale de Lyon – Écully, France
Dec. 04-05-06, 2019
Variations Physiques vol. 2 – VR experience
Presentations at Lyon Observatory, CRAL, Saint-Genis-Laval (FR), CNRS DR7 & Institut de Physique des 2 Infinis, Lyon (FR)
Oct. 07 & 09, 2020
Variations Physiques vol. 1 & vol. 2 – Film broadcast and conferences with authors
Online on the streaming platform Twitch (FR)
Mar. 31 – Apr. 04, 2021
10 algorithmic paintings
Festival ZERO1, La Rochelle, France
Apr. 06-07, 2021
Variations Physiques vol. 1 – VR experience
Journées des Arts et de la Culture dans l’Enseignement Supérieur, ENS de Lyon, France
Oct. 07-08-09, 2021
Variations Physiques vol. 1 & vol. 2 – VR experience
Fête de la Science, ENS Lyon – Lyon, France
Feel free to enquire about Variations Physiques.
You can reach us at contact (.at.) variationsphysiques ..dot.. fr