Hydrometer c. 1800 - 1858

This is Kyan’s “Hydrometer,” a delicate piece crafted from glass, and presented alongside its shattered remains. A hydrometer is an instrument used to measure the specific gravity of liquids. We might consider here the historical context of scientific progress and its complex relationship with colonial exploitation. The pursuit of knowledge was often intertwined with the extraction of resources and the subjugation of communities. The hydrometer, in its function, speaks to this history of measurement and control. Notice too, the sense of fragility conveyed by the broken glass, it perhaps echoes the precariousness of knowledge, and the potential for systems to break down. In this way, Kyan invites us to reflect on the human endeavor of understanding our world, along with the possible cost of this endeavor.