Arts at CERN

The Eye [A.L.I.C.E. | A Large Ion Collider Experiment | V1] immerses the viewer in the underground world of the ALICE experiment

The film installation takes viewers into the subterranean realm of the ALICE experiment, one of the major detectors of the Large Hadron Collider at CERN. Filmed in 2020, it creates a journey through the striking scale, extremes, and complexity of the experiment, offering an intimate glimpse into the work of physicists studying the fundamental building blocks of matter.

The work juxtaposes this exploration with a narration on the mechanism of human vision, drawing parallels between the act of observation in particle physics and our own perceptual processes. The coincidence of the name—ALICE, and Alice of Wonderland—becomes a metaphor as both unfold deep underground, venturing into the unknown. As viewers step into the architectural landscape of the experimental site, located 100 metres below the surface, they are invited to reflect on the interplay between reality and fiction—much like Alice’s descent into Wonderland, exploring unfamiliar worlds in search of deeper understanding.

Neudecker’s film was part of the Alice: Curiouser and Curiouser exhibition at the Victoria & Albert Museum, London, UK.