About “Celestial Bodies and the Light Between”
In “Celestial bodies and the light between,” Jenna Margasak presents a series of cyanotype images inspired by the technical findings of Dr. Michael Wood-Vasey and his research group as they look to Type 1a Supernovae to understand the nature of dark energy in accelerating the expansion of the universe. A Type 1a Supernova is born when a white dwarf star in a binary system accumulates matter from its partner, eventually reaching a critical mass that triggers a catastrophic stellar explosion. The visible, energetic event of the dying star emits a relatively consistent peak brightness, which observational astronomers and theoretical researchers use to measure cosmic distances. The expansion rate of the universe is driven by dark energy: a relatively invisible entity that opposes gravitational properties in a cosmic push and pull. As space expands, the wavelengths of this light stretch, producing a redshift that reveals variations in the universe’s expansion rate.
With the knowledge and support of studio arts professor Melissa Catanese, this body of work explores how we quantify the unobservable and create tangible narratives of imperceptibility. The paradoxical human condition, in its fragility and resilience, is anchored to this cosmic web of interconnection; it is human by nature to forcibly push the limits of relationships, merging to an irreversible point of destruction. Using UV light from our own star, these cyanotypes depict the amalgamation and resistance present in both human experiences and the dynamics of the universe. Through layers of abstract cosmic forms and visual representations of scientific research, the work seeks to evoke the invisible threads connecting us to the vast, expanding cosmos.
Jenna Margasak is an interdisciplinary artist from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, pursuing degrees in studio arts and urban studies with a specialization in sustainability at the University of Pittsburgh. Her artwork centers on themes of self-reflection and exploring the networks that inform human experience. She navigates the relationship that lives in the intersection of humanity and nature. Her painting practice provides a pathway to dissect the complex elements of this strained interconnectedness. Oil and acrylic paints have been the tools allowing her to examine these relationships with expressive brush strokes and experimentation with color and texture. Her recent works play with materiality as an entry point, considering how the process of making and the life of materials similarly reflect divergences between us and the natural.
