Carmen Villain Infinite Avenue (2017)
Infinity is a confusing concept. Most of the time we simply don't know whether it applies or not, for example when we wonder if the universe is infinite in both space and time. Chances are, we’ll never get to the bottom (or the top) of it.
Even more perplexing: In some cases, infinity exists and doesn’t exist simultaneously. Take Evangelista Torricelli, a student of Galileo. In the 17th century, the Italian physicist and mathematician studied a geometric figure known as Torricelli’s trumpet (or Gabriel’s horn, named for its resemblance to the archangel Gabriel’s instrument used to announce Judgment Day).
This trumpet (or horn) has properties that, in theory, would allow you to fill it with a finite amount of paint, but you could never paint it completely on the outside. The figure has a finite volume, but its surface area is infinite. A paradox!
This is overwhelming and confusing, and maybe we should leave it at that. But before we do, here’s today’s song: “Infinite Avenue”, the title track from Carmen Villain’s 2017 album. In it, the Norwegian musician uses the image of an infinite avenue as a metaphor for a seemingly endless search—one that may, after all, have finally come to an end.
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