Art in Space : Open Thread

A two-year initiative called Ex-Territory is being launched on 7 September in the extra-territorial waters outside of Tel Aviv. Using a privately donated vessel, organisers are screening a selection of Arab and Israeli videos projected onto its sails in politically neutral waters that are free from border disputes and territorial conflict.Obviously, the Internets are more practical for exhibiting and/or viewing art than the open seas, but I greatly appreciate how this plan seemingly frees the exhibition from the petty bickering that tends to consume we mindlessly territorial landlubbers. But it got me to wondering about moving beyond mother earth, and what art in space might mean. What if Cai Guo-Qiang could incorporate the moon into a performance, or Tara Donovan could somehow visually connect the stars? Or thinking past that...if space exploration beyond just the moon gave birth to new metaphors, new media, new meaning?According to Maayan Amir, one of four Israeli founders of the Ex-Territory group, “Arab artists will not exhibit art in Israel because of the political situation. We are trying to find a solution to this problem by meeting in extra-territorial waters, and offering a non-historical space for dialogue.” The group plans to travel throughout the Mediterranean to provide artists, filmmakers and writers with an independent floating platform for cultural exchange. Amir added: “We want this project to develop as an international group and we are looking for curators, art critics and artists to participate in our project.”
This week starts the beginning of a brand new art season, and, despite the bumpy road that last season saw, there's a renewed optimism in the air. Consider this an open thread on fresh starts and un-chartered territory.
Labels: art viewing, open thread, politics
17 Comments:
What would extraterrestrial art look like? Would it remain human? OR would space change humanity until it returned to earth wholly changed, unable to recognize itself, going to war with the future!
Will the art become totally new, like seeing a play on TV for the first time, or shooting reality and turning it into a movie.
I am interested why Tara Donovan gets to connect the stars, surely there are more worthy? What about Damien Hirst, who's very name rhymes with first? And who will be the captain of the ark? What is the prize for spotting land? Who is in charge of scooping the poop?
Do we really need two elephants? My list of questions goes on longer than the opening of Star Wars.
James Turrell, anyone?
Zip says: "My list of questions goes on longer than the opening of Star Wars."
Zip, your coments always go on longer than the opening of Star Wars.
I cant hear you the surf is still ringing in my ears.
James Turrell. Contemplation, light. Yes, that seems like perfect ground for a new beginning.
Cathy
If we manage to expand our settlements into space, it will mean we have changed as a species and will be further changed, I think.
If we find intelligent life as well, our very concept of ourselves will be utterly altered - most of our cultural baggage, which rather depends upon our being the center of the universe - will be shattered into a million pieces and we will have to understand again what it means to be Human. And, yes, there will be some amazing art & philosphy in that era!
What's the difference between 'new', 'brand new'? I've always wondered. Then there's 'brand spankin' new'..
Cathy
I think "brand new" only applies to shoes, apparel and other branded items.
Once I drew down the project of sending a church tower to the moon. Nobody sponsored it.
Yet.
Well, when the guy who created Ultima and Ultima Online decided to give up videogame to concentrate on spatial interests, a lot of people thought that was boring.
Is it better to explore the universe or create your own?
Cedric C
I've got enough trouble with the'space' between my ears & now you want to add to my problems ?
Art-in-Space
The Cosmic Dancer on the Mir space station 1993
http://www.cosmicdancer.com
See also: ars astronautica
http://www.arsastronautica.com
Perhaps we are already surrounded by life forms more intelligent than ourselves, but we are unable (not smart enough...) to perceive them or they elude us on purpose (would you blame them?). One of the most difficult things to do is convince the ignorant of their ignorance, and we may simply be too hubristic as a species to realize our ignorance.
Art, whether it's made on the Moon or Earth, is inseparable from our human-ness, because it's always about experiences from our point of view or interpretation, no matter what it is or what made it.
The painter Bill Guffey arguably already makes images from space (in a way) using Google Earth.
i live among you.
i live among you.
Oh, and did I mention that some humans have outsize egos as well? ;)
Blame it on the moonlight.
Wow, Ed. liked this. sorry i haven't been looking in on discussions like these more often. But now I am, and here's my short rant:
In brief: The Internet is gonna be the answer -- I can't even imagine how differently i would have thought about being a painter (back when i was one) if there had been an Internet back when I was in college/grad school.
It's is a frontier, and it isn't limited by time (you can archive) or space -- though what we curatorial types exhibit on a 'wall' will have to take into account the medium of deliver. The Internet won't serve all art; but it will serve creativity. And you won't have to build a boat to get to that happy place.
Totally agree, Sarah. I was also pleasantly surprised though to learn the metaphor (this no man's place without the same geo-political constraints) could circle back and be realized outside cyberspace.
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