The artwork titled “Your strange certainty still kept” was created by Olafur Eliasson in 1996. It is an installation piece associated with the Light and Space and Post-Minimalism art movements. The genre of the piece emphasizes the transformative qualities of perception, engaging the viewer in a multi-sensory experience that is both physical and ephemeral.
Upon examining the artwork, we see a space that has been manipulated to incorporate light and reflective materials to create a sensation of a cosmic or aquatic ambiance. The foreground shows a lit platform which suggests an area of focus or perhaps the stage for the light performance occurring in the environment. Above this, numerous small light points are dispersed throughout the space, possibly made of reflective particles or lights themselves, which mimic a starry night or the effervescent quality of gently cascading snow. The surrounding darkness enhances the luminosity of these points, creating a sense of vastness and inviting contemplation. The composition of the artwork, its engagement with natural phenomena, and the use of ephemeral materials work in concert to produce a contemplative and immersive environment, which are hallmarks of Eliasson’s larger body of work.