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The LargeHadronCollider tunnel –
where they discovered theHiggs boson
“Godparticle” in2012–has alsohosted
art. Swiss flâneurGianni Motti walked the
entire lengthof the27km subterranean
circle in2005, followedby cameraman Ivo
Zanetti, whomade an art filmof thewalk.
Thequestion is, whymix science and
art? “Science is culture. People are losing
that connection,” argues Professor Rolf-
DieterHeuer, CERN’s friendly bearded
Germandirector, when I interviewhim
inhis office. “They’re similar –by doing
culturehere itwidens the viewpoint.”
To that endCERNhas thrown its doors
wideopen. In June they swapped atom-
splitting for side-splittingby hosting
a comedy night in the LargeHadron
Collider. Anonline audienceof 10,000 and
aphysical crowdof 250watchedcomics
Eduardo Saenz deCabezon,Miguel Abril
andHelenArneymake jokes about science
at theNoCause forConCERNevening.
Author Robert Harris camehere towrite
abook,
TheFear Index
, about anex-CERN
scientist; andAmerican sound art pioneer
Bill Fontanahas recorded thenoises
coming from the LHC and turned them
into vibrant audio art.
According to Swiss choreographerGilles
Jobin, who staged anelaboratephysics-
inspiredmoderndance show in thehall
aboveCMS, “the space at CERN seems to
be vibratingwith thoughts. Forme, the
discovery that I amnot a ‘pileof stuff’
but stardust floating in spacewasmind-
blowing.” Jobin’s
Quantum
, whose score is
inspiredby data fromexperiments, is now
touring the globe.
As I leave, the last thing I see at CERN
is AntonyGormley’s sculpture
Feeling
Material XXXIV
– awonderful coat-hangar
tangleofmetal which theEnglish artist
(whohimself had a residency at CERN)
donated in2009, andwhichdroops over
themain atrium. Fewplaces seemmore
worthy of great art.
CERN’s twoartists-in-residence–Swiss
musicianVincentHanni,of thebandYoung
Gods,andFrench installationartistRudy
Decelière–willbe lecturingat theGlobeat
CERNon28October. Seegillesjobin.com for
Quantum
performancedates.
Arts.web.cern.ch
NorwegianfliestoGeneva fromOslo,
StockholmandCopenhagen.Bookflights,a
hotelandarentalcaratnorwegian.com
Opposite page
⁄
ALICE, oneof seven
particledetectors
atCERN
This page
⁄
(clockwise from
above left)Modern
dance show
QuantumatCERN;
the 14,000-tonne
CMSdetector;
AntonyGormley’s
FeelingMaterial
XXXIV
sculpture,
which ishung in the
mainatrium
MICHAEL HOCH
n
A
“ThespaceatCERNseems to
bevibratingwith thoughts...
forme, itwasmindblowing”
