109 - A Visual Interpretation of the Table of Elements
Fire Gallery, Gallery of Modern Art, Glasgow
25 February - 5 June 2000
Support from the RSC and additional funding from Glasgow City Council enabled the production and presentation of this major installation at the Gallery of Modern Art (GOMA) in Glasgow.

109 - The current number of known and officially named elements that comprise the periodic table.
"Art and science have often been partners and equally often divided by a seemingly irreducible gap, but the world which we now inhabit provides little scope for any of the arts to stand aloof from science."
Kenny Mathieson, City Live!
Taking a fresh look and evaluation at the current forms of the table of elements with an aim to the promotion of a greater understanding and awareness of the often complex concepts associated with the field of chemistry the visual artists collaborated with participating chemists developing new visual models illustrating underlying currents and relationships that exist within the table and its respective elements.
The range of media utilised encompassed traditional techniques, however primary exposure was given to digital media, including 2 & 3D computer generated images, internet, animation and video.

Through these media the 109 project produced a new and vibrant visual assessment of the startling diversity of material that constitutes the world in which we live, not simply by rendering accurate images of the respective elements but also by investigating the manner in which they affect our daily lives in largely unseen and often unsuspected ways.
109 featured:

The Periodic Table - a new visual interpretation of the periodic table including individual rendered representations of all 109 elements and their respective families.


The Periodic Landscapes - a series of computer generated ‘landscape’ views based on relationships and patterns within the periodic table such as ionisation energies, and masses of the atoms. The various values were extrapolated from bar charts to create a 3-dimensional ‘landscape’ view of the table. The Periodic Landscapes currently exist as a suite of 17 Iris gliclée prints of which 10 framed pieces were displayed at GOMA . Also included was a 15 minute video featuring a computer generated ‘fly-through’ of four landscapes shown on a free standing 24” monitor.
Video Projection - Video projected computer animated sequences focusing upon twenty five selected elements within the periodic table - in effect a travelogue of the patterns and relationships between the elements and intended as the “visual core” of the installation. Primarily intended as an arresting and engaging introduction to some of the other featured exhibits, the projection was of approximately 20 mins duration, set to continuous loop and including text - explanatory ‘signposts’ where applicable. To view all Visual Elements quicktime movies click here.

Sound - Commissioned soundtrack and soundscape to compliment video/animation sequences and gallery installations.

The periodic table is “rhythmic” in its nature due to the repetition of numeric patterns in successive electron shells within the atoms of the individual elements in the table. It is this “periodicity” of the elements which has dictated the form and nature of the periodic table of the elements. In response to this, 109 developed a soundscape within the gallery environment through which the visitor could experience notational and rhythmic aural textures in association with the visual imagery.

Lightboxes - a series of 4 works which focused upon selected elements from the periodic table. These works were presented in the form of 28” x 28” wall mounted lightbox units for maximum visual impact. The elements featured were Hydrogen, Nickel, Promethium and Plutonium (click on the icons above to view).
Website - Four public access computers featured an exploratory website including the entire table of elements visually represented with static and animated graphics and text, taking the form of an alternative virtual exhibition/gallery through which the visitor can navigate.

The sense of 'discovery' featured as an important factor in the design and function of this site and it was intended that it provide a further extension to the other featured works and broaden the exhibition beyond the gallery walls.

Element Exhibits -With the kind permission of the Chemistry Department of Glasgow University, 109 was able to provide 26 actual examples of elements from the Chemistry Department Museum.

WHAT THE PAPERS SAY ! -
click on the icons below to read printed and on-line reviews of 109 (PDF)
More Reviews
Click on the icon above which will take you to selected published reviews of Visual Elements to date.
back to exhibitions page