A black hole is an incredibly dense cosmic entity, from which no light can escape. Its immense gravitational pull consumes everything that crosses its event horizon, never to return. While black holes themselves are invisible, the glowing disk of superheated material around them emits intense radiation, allowing us to capture their presence indirectly. In April 2019, scientists unveiled the first image of a black hole, specifically Powehi, a supermassive black hole at the heart of the Messier 87 galaxy. With a mass 6.5 billion times that of the Sun, Powehi lies about 55 million light-years from Earth. Tan Mu’s painting Powehi (2022) reflects the awe and mystery surrounding these cosmic phenomena. By abstracting the glowing ring and deep void of the black hole, the work transcends a literal representation, evoking both the scientific and metaphysical aspects of Powehi. The artist draws on the Hawaiian chant from which the black hole's name originates, "embellished dark source of unending creation," to explore themes of infinite creation, destruction, and the unknown. Through this visual meditation, Tan Mu invites viewers to consider the enigmatic forces that govern both the cosmos and human imagination.

Q: Your works Sagittarius A (2022) and Powehi (2022) are both based on the theme of black holes. Could you talk about how you transformed scientific images into artistic creations?

Tan Mu: The core of these works lies in the process of generating black hole images, not just the images themselves. Black hole images are not captured through regular cameras; instead, data is collected from telescopes around the world and visualized. It’s somewhat like the process of printmaking, where dispersed data is consolidated into a complete image. This collective observation and data collaboration fascinated me because it represents humanity’s shared curiosity and exploration of cosmic phenomena. The study of black holes is an ever-evolving field, with humanity capturing the first-ever image of the M87 galaxy’s black hole in 2019 and, in 2022, the image of the Milky Way’s center, Sagittarius A*. These ongoing discoveries excite me. In my work, I document these scientific milestones while also reflecting on how, with technological advancements, we may witness even more black hole images in the future. This sense of "timeliness" makes me feel that my work is not just a record of present scientific discoveries but also a glimpse into the possibilities of the future.

Q: You mentioned that the creation of black hole images is a collective effort. How has this "collectivity" inspired your artistic process?

Tan Mu: The generation of black hole images is a global collaboration involving observatories and telescopes from all over the world. This collective observation and data integration deeply moved me. It’s not just a product of science and technology but also a symbol of human collective effort. This "collectivity" made me realize that both scientific discoveries and artistic creation share something in common—they both require collaboration, curiosity, and continuous exploration. In my work, I try to capture the spirit of this collective endeavor and transform it into a visual language. Almost all technological and scientific achievements reflect human collective collaboration. While most of my paintings don’t depict people directly, through these sophisticated instruments or the images they capture, we can feel the immense human collaboration behind them, and this collective labor is conveyed in my brushstrokes, one by one, layer by layer.

Q: How do you view the relationship between the scientific and artistic aspects of black hole images?

Tan Mu: The black hole images are the result of visualizing scientific data, but they are also inherently artistic. Scientists use complex calculations and data processing, or scientific colorization, to transform the invisible phenomena of black holes into visible images. This process is similar to artistic creation, especially in how abstract concepts are transformed into concrete visual forms. The process of visualizing black hole images is full of tension between "accuracy" and "uncertainty." While scientists generate these images through extensive data and high-precision calculations, there are still errors and adjustments made by humans. For example, to make the image easier to understand, scientists often add colors. This "uncertainty" fascinates me because it reveals a commonality between science and art—we are both trying to explain the invisible phenomena through visible forms. This attempt is full of challenges and possibilities, and it’s one of the core themes I explore in my work.

Q: You used a black background in your creations. What is the significance of this design choice?

Tan Mu: The black background is an important visual element in my work, whether in space-themed pieces like Powehi (2022), Sagittarius A (2022), or Moldavite (2020), or in depictions of the microscopic world such as cells, DNA, and materials like Silicon (2021, 2023). The use of black not only highlights the structure, texture, and shape of the central objects but also creates a deep, mysterious atmosphere. This design choice reminds me of the "objectified" perspective in scientific observation—whether as scientists or artists, we both attempt to understand the world through observation and analysis. The black background also allows me to focus more on capturing the shape and texture of the black hole while metaphorically referencing the unknown and infinite nature of the universe.