Falling leaves (Bougainvillea)

In collaboration with the Universities of Amsterdam and Princeton, the Dutch artist and composer Iebele Abel (NL, 1969) researched the possibility of creating images and music purely through thought. The resulting artworks stem from scientific studies on psychokinesis, a phenomenon that remains unexplained by science. The researchers Iebele has collaborated with examine whether intentions can influence the behavior of quantum particles. Iebele has brought the methods and techniques used in laboratories to his studio to experiment with whether music and artworks can be created that express the interaction between mind and matter.

Using a virtual computer-based system, thousands of objects such as leaves and stones have been "photographed" as they fall onto a white background. Interestingly, these objects tend not to fall randomly but instead appear to align with patterns preconceived by the artist during the creation process. These works exhibit a strong graphic quality and align with the tradition of conceptual art from the 1970s and 1980s, reminiscent of artists like Sol LeWitt and Robert Ryman.

Iebele Abel’s work contributes to the discourse pioneered by scientists like Mandelbrot and Emoto, who used imagery to elucidate complex concepts. Abel explains: "My work can be seen as a dialogue with current social developments, where the significance of spirituality is acknowledged in contrast to a dominant secular worldview. I seek to objectify this mental power by demonstrating how people find proof for what is sometimes referred to as the quantum field. Furthermore, I illustrate that individual control over this phenomenon is limited, which should prompt a sense of humility. By presenting these ideas in a clear conceptual manner, my work invites reflection on the belief that the mind is foundational to our physical reality."