The deafening explosion of the Trinity test in New Mexico in 1945 marked the arrival of the Atomic Age, forever altering the course of history. Nuclear weapons—celebrated, feared, coveted, and condemned—have since become one of the most potent symbols of power and destruction. In TRINITY TESTING (2020), Tan Mu explores this pivotal event through a series of delicate, dreamlike paintings (28 × 36 cm each), contrasting the enormity of nuclear force with the fleeting nature of the moment in which it unfolds. Tan Mu’s fascination with the instant of explosion—the precise moment when immense energy is unleashed—mirrors her broader interest in the defining moments of human progress. The nucleus, a symbol of ultimate efficiency, enables a high-speed fission process that culminates in a single, transformative event. Yet, this instant gives rise to infinite ethical, regulatory, and environmental dilemmas, reshaping world order in ways that are both unstable and inescapable. By capturing the paradox of immense destruction and fragile impermanence, TRINITY TESTING compels us to confront the vulnerabilities of our time, reflecting on the forces that shape both our history and our future.

Q: Why did you choose nuclear explosions as the core visual symbol for your work?

Tan Mu: When I look at modern history, I see the most significant developments of the past century as the emergence of nuclear power, computers, and new systems for transmitting goods and information. These breakthroughs represent a shift to an entirely new level of impact, and I felt it was important to document that transformation. The nuclear explosion is the ultimate metaphor for the release of energy. It marks humanity’s breakthrough beyond physical limitations and embodies a moment of creation, while also containing the duality of destruction and rebirth. I studied extensive archival footage of nuclear tests, focusing on the sequence from the accumulation of energy to its sudden release. I am especially drawn to the instant when an immense amount of energy erupts, whether it is man-made or natural. This fascination also appears in my Eruption series, where I depict underwater volcanic eruptions and disruptions in submarine cables. In each case, moments of rupture and explosion generate new orders and unknown conditions. This idea runs consistently throughout my work.

Q: What is the deeper connection between the monochrome palette and the imagery of vibration in your work?

Tan Mu: Removing color helps strip away the familiarity of the visible world. When images are rendered in black and white, familiar environments become strange, and what we think we understand begins to operate within a different system. This shift forces viewers to reconsider their perception. In this context, the mushroom cloud no longer functions solely as an image of explosion but becomes a visual expression of vibrational frequency. I have long been fascinated by oscillation and vibration. Historical accounts of nuclear explosions describe not only their visual impact but also the powerful vibrational energy they generate. These vibrations carry information that is not immediately visible. This interest connects to my Signal series and to my research into electronic music, where sound waves become a central subject. Whether it is the shockwave of a nuclear blast, the tremor of a volcano, the oscillation of data signals, or the frequencies in electronic music, each represents energy crossing a critical threshold. Through these works, I explore the relationship between visual form and vibration.

Q: How do you reconstruct the perception of time through your creative process?

Tan Mu: When I think about the seven small paintings in this series, I remember spending roughly ten days completing them, working with full concentration and without interruption. Each painting took about a day, and the entire group unfolded over slightly more than a week. During each session, I focused intensely on a single image and a single moment, the instant when massive energy is released. Each painting represents a fragment of time, transformed into a visual record. It felt as though I was stretching time, entering that brief instant and examining its impact from within. There was something deeply connected to the idea of creation itself. Each day felt like the birth of something new, almost as if I were conducting an experiment with time. I worked for around ten hours a day, carefully constructing a freeze-frame of a fraction of a second, sealing it like a time capsule. In historical terms, these brief seconds triggered profound transformations. While we experience countless fleeting moments every day, only a few carry such monumental consequences. By slowing this moment down through painting, I disrupt linear time. The layering of paint extends that decisive second infinitely, allowing the complex texture of energy transformation to unfold.

Q: How is the tension between control and loss of control expressed in the series?

Tan Mu: The carefully controlled size of the canvas stands in quiet contrast to the uncontrollable nature of the energy being depicted. I approach the mushroom cloud as if it were a calm and precise object, yet the behavior of the paint itself introduces unpredictability and instability. This tension reflects humanity’s relationship with nuclear energy. Although we rely on computational models to predict chain reactions, we remain acutely aware of the variables that escape calculation. Each painting holds a temporary equilibrium between control and loss of control. Beneath every seemingly serene image lies the presence of immense crisis or the emergence of a new and transformative energy.