Dark matter, the scientific explanation, is an unidentified type of matter comprising approximately 27% of the mass and energy in the observable universe that is not accounted for by dark energy, baryonic matter (ordinary matter), and neutrinos. To hold value of an invisible force and energy in space, and to rely on the power of un-known matter, the desire is to tap in the fear of unknown and to walk on the brink of precipice. 

 

The audience will be invited to be seated at the beginning of each session in an enclosed rectangular black box space. The character in the video will start explaining the situation of the project and the space, which the participants are all agreed to stay in the sealed black box together for 30 minutes, and the only light source is the candle flame on the edge of the central pedestal, and audience will be notified that the floor is covered with black gunpowder(will only use charcoal powder for safety purpose). The candle is burning down as the time passing by, if any flame or spark drops on the floor, it conveys the fear to participants that it will set the whole room on fire immediately. The audiences will vote to choose to take the risk of having the candle to light the room, or blow it out, and endure the total darkness for the remaining time together. 

 

Dark Matter takes the mysterious subject in science and transform its metaphorical meaning into a moral and ethical level, which reveals the invisible and unknown substance and force that has always existed, influenced and even intimidated people, leading to the unity of people and creating imagined community by shared fear, ideology and values. The power of choosing seems to be given to the audience, but in fact they are under the control of the game structure. The choice of taking the threat out, and replace it with a paranoid of staying in total darkness, that transfers into the mode of a new threat, threat of unknown. Threat of anxiety is unreal in spite of its nonexistence, however, the effect is superlatively real. The impetus of Dark Matter lets participants to interact with each other in the environment of imminent instability and anxiety, which is exactly what the current political situation is, and offering a moment to rethink what is the Dark Matter that has always existed, but invisible.