David Fathi, Wolfgang

Wolfgang

David Fathi

Publisher
Skinnerboox
Year
2016
ISBN
978-88-94134-15-5
Specifications
Hardcover
15.8 x 23 cm
164 pages
Edition of 500
Design by Ramon Pez
Text by Jeffrey Ladd
First edition
Best Book of 2016 on The Guardian
Best Book of 2016 on Lens Culture
Best Book of 2016 on Yumi Goto list
Best Book of 2016 on Erik Kessels list
Best Book of 2016 on Tim Clark list

Wolfgang is the new book by French artist David Fathi. Using the photographic archives of the CERN laboratory he has manipulated and recontextualized images to tell the strange tale of the Pauli Effect; the myth that Wolfgang Pauli, one of the founders of quantum mechanics, would just by his presence cause unexplainable failures of equipment and experiments. The photos in this series show accidents, unexpected surprises and the lingering presence of Wolfgang Pauli, who passed away shortly before the beginning of the archive. Some images are manipulated by the artist, while others are left untouched. Art, photography, history and science collide, blurring science fact and science fiction. The tension and humor arise from the playful games the reader must take part in, to separate myth from reality. As the physicist Richard Feynman once said: "If you think you understand quantum mechanics, then you don't understand quantum mechanics."

Best Book of 2016 on The Guardian

Best Book of 2016 on Lens Culture

Best Book of 2016 on Yumi Goto list

Best Book of 2016 on Erik Kessels list

Best Book of 2016 on Tim Clark list

Best Book of 2016 on Jeffrey Ladd list

Best Book of 2016 on Rudi Thoemmes list

Best Book of 2016 on Anouk Kruithof list

Best Book of 2016 on Ania Nałęcka-Milach list

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