BABEL
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When it was proclaimed that the Library contained all books, the first impression was one of extravagant happiness. All men felt themselves to be the masters of an intact and secret treasure. There was no personal or world problem whose eloquent solution did not exist in some hexagon. The universe was justified, the universe suddenly usurped the unlimited dimensions of hope. - Jorge Luis Borges
BABEL, the opening attraction of CODE, was born from a unique collaboration of a Hungarian creative group composed of digital artists and sound designers. This series of artworks was inspired by Jorge Luis Borges’ short story The Library of Babel and was specifically designed for the six-sided space of the Hexagon. The show presents an infinite library composed of hexagonal rooms, symbolising the boundlessness of human knowledge and possibilities. Within the library, every possible book exists, encompassing the entirety of human knowledge as well as truths yet to be discovered. It is a place of hope, where, among infinite possibilities, the triumph of human creativity and curiosity ensures that the thirst for knowledge never ceases.
Creators: Bálint Benkovics - Gábor Halász, Glowing Bulbs - Csilla Domonkos, Gábor Kitzinger - Rozi Mákó - Marcell Andristyák, Ivó Kovács - József Iszlai, Andrea Sztojánovits - Gergely Álmos, Viktor Vicsek and Rodrigo Guzman - Péter Márton
Borges’ short story The Library of Babel tells the tale of an infinite library in which all possible books and all truths can be found. The central idea of the short story is infinity and the limits of human knowledge. Within the library, understanding the content, meaning, and organisation of the books is an impossible task, as the sheer infinity of volumes makes it almost certain that the one containing true knowledge will never be found. Borges raises the question of what happens when the search for truth ultimately proves futile and how people experience the struggle to find order within such an endless, chaotic world. Beyond this, the story also carries the metaphorical significance of the library as a representation of the universe or life itself, where all possibilities can unfold, yet nothing ever seems entirely comprehensible or attainable.
