If the Universe Were Watching is an installation on top of the centre of the world’s
largest low frequency telescope, LOFAR (Low-Frequency Array). Distributed through
the Netherlands and Europe, the centre of the telescope, referred to as the core
or Superterp, is located on a circular island (or ‘terp’ in Dutch), situated between
Exloo and Buinen in Drenthe, the Netherlands. The core covers a total area of 250 x
250m, containing 12 antenna units of 30 x 30m. Each unit is made up of 5 x 5m
squares, covered in polystyrene and wrapped in tarpaulin to protect the measuring
instruments, just knee hight off the ground.

The installation, made of white vinyl, is placed on top of the tarpaulin covering the
telescope. Each of the twelve antenna units in the Superterp has its own markings,
which together make up an image that can be read from above. The work is
documented by drone and satellite images to be visible on google maps for the
duration of the biennale, along with being presented as postcards.


→ Interview with Hilde de Bruijn, Artistic Director of Into Nature pdf
(From the publication Telling Time)

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Project in collaboration with ASTRON (Netherlands Institute for Radio Astronomy)
With thanks to Jessica Dempsey, Marco de Vos and Tammo Jan Dijkema

Photography by Luuk Kramer