At first sight, the title, technique and motifs of this work would seem involve an abstract piece. But Alkeishiukkanen is not what it seems to be, because beneath its subjective appearance lies a reflection on the way science imagines the universe. The charcoal drawing imparts precision and materiality, encouraging the beholder to approach something that is an observation of the infinitely small – an elementary particle. Stéphane Sautour (b. 1968) works from images available on the Internet, taking us back to different periods of research into physics (here, the 1950s), which he then translates into drawings.

The work thus becomes the product of a thought process linked to the meticulous application of charcoal, thereby reversing the old system: observation no longer induces interpretation, but interpretation is required for observation. The beholder, confronting the drawings, is invited to delve into the vast, populated darkness revealed by the infinitesimal perception of the world of scientific equipment. Rather than solve such puzzles, these new visions of reality give rise to a fascinating imaginative faculty.