“I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end, the first and the last.”
Book of Revelation: Chapter 22; verse 13

The starting point for In the Beginning was the End was a Leonardo Da Vinci drawing, entitled “A Cloudburst of Material Possessions”: a surreal and apocalyptic vision depicting a torrential downpour of man-made objects. It is an image of man’s obsession with materialism and mass production at the expense of spiritual growth.

Leonardo was obsessed with mechanics, a science he described as “the noblest and useful above all others”. For him it was the root of all man-made creations that have motion. He was also aware that humanity might abuse science: it might be a gateway to discovery, or it might become a trigger our own self-destruction. Like the Book of Revelation, Leonardo’s drawing is a forewarning; is this end of the world or the start of a new world?

Threading its way through the maze-like underground passages that link King's College with Somerset House, In the Beginning was the End creates a series of journeys through calamitous, sometimes bizarre, accidents and divine revelations. Mixing Leonardo-inspired hydraulics and modern mechanical engineering with dreamthinkspeak’s special blend of film, installation and live performance, it reveals a vision of the world either on the verge collapse - or the brink of rebirth.

Dreamthinkspeak will take over previously unseen areas of Kings College and Somerset House. Led by Tristan Sharps, the dreamthinkspeak core team of makers and builders will collaborate with engineers, 3D video practitioners, electronic hackers***and lab technicians from King’s College Physics department, seamlessly interweaving a range of technologies into the production.

In the Beginning was the End is co-commissioned by Somerset House Trust, King’s Cultural Institute and TippingPoint. Sponsored by Bloomberg. Supported by Arts Council England.

*The Book of Revelation is the final part of The Bible. Recounting the prophecies of St John, it is an apocalyptic vision of the end of the world that prefigures The Second Coming. In common with many other religions, this revelation of global destruction is closely allied to a sense of
regeneration and rebirth.

**Mechatronics is the combination of Mechanical engineering, Electronic engineering, Computer engineering, Software engineering, Control engineering, and Systems Design engineering in order to design and manufacture useful products (both domestic and industrial).

***Build Brighton Hackspace is a communal workshop and collective of like-minded people who love to combine electronics, crafts, engineering and technology. The Hackspace provides an environment with tools and technical support where members can pursue their own work or collaborate on group projects. BUILD BRIGHTON, will be a hub for the exploration and development of mechatronic-inspired installations.

Somerset House
East Wing Galleries, Strand
London WC2R 1LA United Kingdom
Ph. +44 (0)20 7845 4600
Fax +44 (0)20 7836 7613
info@somersethouse.org.uk
www.somersethouse.org.uk

Opening hours
Timed entry slots from 6.30pm nightly Mon – Sat

Prices: £19.50, £24.50