The Dark Universe
2m x 4m, acrylic on 4 panels
This is one of two large Kelvin paintings commissioned by the Quantum Theory Group at the University of Glasgow to celebrate 200 years since the Birth of Lord Kelvin. The works are based on Kelvin’s 1887 proposal for the geometric structure of space, known today as the “Kelvin Cell” - a doubly curved truncated octahedron which Kelvin believed could divide all of space with maximum efficiency and minimum surface area. Using 3d computer modelling, Gregor reconstructed thousands of interconnected Kelvin Cells to create a large-scale 3d lattice that was then painstakingly translated into the two painted compositions.
The Dark Universe explores the unknown - particularly dark matter and dark energy, which together are thought to account for 95 per cent of the universe. Unlike the ordered structure of The Light Universe, this work is deliberately disorientating. While the underlying geometry remains Kelvin’s ether, it is obscured by shifting black-and-white structures, conflicting patterns and fragmented forms. Elements of the composition were developed using AI-generated interpretations of dark matter and dark energy, creating an intentionally uncertain and unstable visual language.
