Nineteenth International Conference on the Arts in Society

Abstract

“Through the Aleph” is a net art project with a time-lapse video inspired by Jorge Luis Borges’ short story “The Aleph” (1945). Although a real Aleph might never be found, following Borges’ vision, this project offers an unprecedented visual and interactive experience where many places on Earth and in space can be seen simultaneously in an instant. Influenced by the life changing power of seeing Earth from space, “Through the Aleph” visualizes a pair of opposites through the global reach of technology—the diversity of human civilizations (microcosm) and the unity of humanity without borders in the ever-changing universe (macrocosm). It draws the connections between individuals and the global environment, Earth and outer space, eternity and time, and art and science. With an unexpected approach to surveillance cameras and global networks this meditative web project uses live data to create an abstract landscape in an open source environment. It not only embraces the dream of peace on Earth but also explores the bond between humankind and nature through time and space in the present moment.