No Such Thing as Gravity at FACT

Featuring a car fueled by water, a ghost-inducing robot and portraits made from skin cells, No Such Thing as Gravity at FACT takes a close look at the ever-changing limits of science. Focused particularly on areas of the field where the lack of established facts leaves room for conspiracy theories, alternative science and irrational belief, this exhibition includes both new commissions and existing works by a wide range of international artists. Gina Czarnecki and Professor John Hunt have developed living portraits of Czarnecki’s two daughters using cells collected from the inside of their mouths, which then grow on delicate glass casts. Czarnecki’s other project, MyPod, responds to the way in which coffins remain out of date, environmentally harmful and expensive, creating an affordable, biodegradable alternative. Sarah Sparkes, meanwhile, has created an archive of Liverpool-based ghost narratives, two ‘infinity portals’ and a robotic machine that will attempt to create a ghost. A theme of mortality, legacy and stories emerges.

The exhibition is accompanied by a comprehensive programme of events, including Sparkes’ Ghost Hostings seminar, a wide-ranging film schedule, a showcase of technology in music that focuses on female producers and a series of sessions with coding club Liverpool Girl Geeks. No Such Thing as Gravity also includes the third chapter in a series of work by Yin-Ju Chen, which addresses the body, governments and state violence; Chen’s second chapter Extrastellar Evaluations II is on display at the Centre for Chinese Contemporary Art in Manchester from 21 October 2016 – 15 January 2017.