LISA C SOTO

In an exploration of potential apocalypses—whether triggered by a cosmic event like another Big Bang or a human-made catastrophe like global nuclear war—I created a suspended nebula-like form, caught in a moment of frozen explosion. The centrifugal force of the imagined blast fills the gallery, extending the eruption’s energy beyond the space, while the structure’s dynamic shape suggests the raw, untapped power of such a cataclysm.

Crafted from wire and washers, the nucleus and tendrils are painted in a spectrum of colors I envisioned as possible within the vast blackness of space, far beyond Earth’s atmosphere. A shard of broken mirror juts from the core, reflecting fractured light, while beneath the suspended structure, 12” x 12” square mirrors cover the floor. These reflective surfaces are meant to interact with the movement above, capturing the fluidity of the explosion and hinting at the vastness of space-time as measured in light years.

In a dimly lit room, illuminated by precise spotlights, the interplay between the floor mirrors and the central mirror evokes the infinite expanse of the cosmos, urging reflection on the fleeting nature of human existence. Perhaps the piece will encourage us to consider how our transient lives represent only a fraction of the broader continuum of the Earth's geological and existential timeline.

As both participant and observer in this potential disaster, I invite the viewer to engage intimately with the piece. I want them to question whether the planet’s destruction is an inevitability, preordained within the universe’s grand narrative, or if—through conscious effort—we might alter the trajectory of our own demise. And finally, I ask the viewer to consider the possibility of a post-human world. Would future inhabitants repeat our hubris, or could this be the beginning of a new age—an Age of Wisdom, following the Cognitive, Agricultural, Industrial, and Information Revolutions?