The Magical Mystery of Intragna, and M-Theory!

Today I went on the most beautiful hike I've been on since my arrival in Switzerland.  I hiked up a familiar path towards Pila, then turned left instead of heading back the same way.  It's spring.  The sun is warmer a little higher up and out of Intragna.  Lilacs are in full bloom, bees are buzzing, lizards are leaping.  It's absolutely gorgeous!  AND, I found the most picturesque bridge ever built, nestled in a crevice where three paths and a few waterfalls meet.  It's the one on all of the postcards.  Some lucky family has a cottage in the sunny bit, waterfall behind, stream beside, bridge across the water, complete with a water wheel and a kitchen garden.  They must be a very fit family, since the closest place to park a car is about a 45 minute hike down, or up, depending on your perspective (although I did notice a special funiculare fairly close by that seemed to be devoted to hauling stuff rather than people).  And, of course, I forgot my camera.  So I guess I'll have to go back!

I do have a few pictures of my work in progress masks and puppets that were included in the Dimitri School's recent symposium, Commedia dell'Arte:  Old Traditions/New Horizons?  It was a great way for me to assemble some of the physical pieces of my work on 'Particle Play'.  One curious observer who read all of the signs while I was putting the piece up the night before the Symposium noted, "It's a little bit crazy, isn't it?"  My only response is, yes!  String theory (or really M-Theory, which unites 5 different versions of String Theory) and a lot of theoretical physics IS a little bit crazy.  Or at least I think so.  And almost all of it is still very theoretical, which is why we don't learn about the Standard Model in high school physics, according to Kristina Yancey, another Fulbrighter here in Switzerland.  But it's interesting and exciting territory to explore.

Other presenters at the symposium included Richard Weihe, who had some interesting things to say about the evolution of the Arlecchino figure in German theatrical traditions and the subsequent demise of masked theatre 'North of the Alps;'  Etienne Champion shared his wooden masks, my favorite was a simple wooden clown nose - for some reason so much more appealing than plastic or latex; Alessandro Marchetti performed his La Maschera e il Volto; and the masters students from the Dimitri School performed the final performance of Anfitrione Divorato, which has been in development all year.

Although 'Particle Play' is not at all related to the Commedia dell'Arte, my training has certainly incorporated elements of the form, and masks are an important aspect of the piece.  We figured that it would be a good way to share some of my work and to spark interest in my upcoming workshop.

Warning!  You are about to enter a Planck Space!  Please put on a pair of Dante's 11-D glasses to help you adjust.

A quark in its bucket

Irregular masks

I did have a lot of fun helping people pick out the right pair of glasses, which is funny, since my dad is an optometrist.  Often, people found that the first pair didn't quite fit.  I found myself handing them another pair, saying, "Here, how does this pair work?"  The response was generally, "Better!" 

What do your 11-Dimensional Glasses reveal?