Abstract
This output is set of animations, both resulting from research with astronomers from Armagh Observatory. ‘Structures ..’ 2008 was commissioned by Belfast Exposed Gallery, and shown alongside works by Trevor Paglen, Simon Faithful and Joanna Griffin in ‘Secret Satellites’, curated by Karen Downey (N. Ireland commissioner, 52nd Venice Biennale).Crucible (2011) was commissioned for ‘Hybrid’, Redline Gallery, Boulder, Colorado, curator R. Krerrane, featuring seven Irish and seven American artists responding to, Boulder city. Building on the research for ‘Structures, I focused on published work from Boulder’s scientific institutes: The Space Weather Prediction Centre and The National Institute of Standards and Technology.Both animations were subsequently shown in ‘Hybrid’, and ‘Tulca Festival of Visual Art’, Galway (curated by Greg McCarthy). The research for both animations resulted from dialogue with Armagh Observatory into how seemingly disparate astronomical structures relate. I developed a ‘show and ask’ methodology in order to initiate dialogue. I created visual material investigating my comprehension of astronomical phenomena. Astronomers responded by enlightening me on other structures whilst they began to think in visual terms about structures they are investigating. Professor Mark Bailey, director of Armagh Observatory, likened my rendition of the earth’s magnetic field to the Oort Cloud, a ‘sphere’ of rock and debris at the sun’s furthermost gravitational reach, the solar system’s boundary. Many images in this animation arose from such conversations. This reciprocal research method formed the basis of our discussion and informed the form of my animations for the exhibitions ‘Secret Satellites’ and Hybrid.The resulting animations use visual morphing to suggest possible evolutions from one form to another. ‘Structures...’ presents a variety of self-similar structures across the universe separated by light years of distance or differing scales. Some are observed whilst others are as yet theoretical, but none are visible to the naked eye.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Place of Publication | Boulder Colorado USA |
| Publication status | Published (in print/issue) - 9 Aug 2012 |
| Event | Hybrid - RedLine / Boulder, Colorado, USA Duration: 11 Aug 2012 → 30 Sept 2012 |
Bibliographical note
Location: ‘Structures Invisible to the Naked Eye ‘and ‘Crucible’ both in ‘Hybrid’, Redline Gallery, Boulder Colorado, curated by R. Kerrane and at Tulca Festival of Visual Art, Galway, curated by Greg McCarthy‘Structures Invisible to the Naked Eye’ was originally commissioned for Secret Satellites, Belfast Exposed, curated by K. Downey
Crucible was originally made on invitation for Hybrid in Redline, Boulder Colorado, curated by R. Kerrane
Date: ‘Structures Invisible to the Naked Eye’ made in September 2008 & ‘Crucible’ made in 2011
Event (exhibition): Tulca 'What Became of the People we Used to Be
Tulca 2012 is to be curated by Greg McCartney whose curatorial focus is on, in the widest sense landscape.
Whether its arrogance, over-confidence or simply complacency we tend to take our personal landscapes for granted. Until there’s a sudden seismic shift and we’re left wondering what went wrong and who exactly is to blame. Tulca 2012 will be all about landscape, progression/regression, in essence change. It is about psychological landscapes as much as the physical geography. An interest in landscape is at its heart an interest in people and how they react to transformation.
The rationale behind this year’s Tulca is a response to the current economic circumstances in Ireland and Europe and the sudden revisions this has caused. It isn’t necessarily about the current climate per se but is rather intended as a meditation on the micro and macro, how these interact and the influence one has on the other. The interest is in how artists have responded to macro shifts in society, be it social, economic or political by often focusing on the micro or individual, the seemingly insignificant but ultimately all important details.
Fairgreen Gallery, Galway / Galway
09-11-2012 / 23-11-2012
Event (exhibition): 'Secret Satellites'
Artists: Aisling O'Beirn (NI), Trevor Paglen (US), Simon Faithfull (UK), Joanna Griffin (UK)
Curated by Karen Downey
Amidst debates surrounding the formation of the UK Space Agency and plans to build an International Space Innovation Centre, Belfast Exposed will exhibit work by 4 artists which explores our connection to space and the orbital environment. From the perspective of the lay enthusiast, Secret Satellites explores everything from contemporary physics' more quirky theories to secret military satellites to homemade experiments in space exploration.
Every year billions of pounds is spent on space research - the UK spends approximately �270 million per year, while NASA's budget in 2010 was $18 billion dollars. Powerful technologies, including high-resolution observation satellites, are developed and employed in various ways; for scientific research, military and civilian observation, communications, navigation, forecasting weather etc. Since the launch of the first man-made satellite, Sputnik 1, in 1957, thousands of satellites have been launched into orbit around the Earth, making up a substantial orbital environment. Secret Satellites draws our attention to this sophisticated technological world beyond our world, and asks who controls it and for what purposes? Who has access to it? How does it affect our lives, now and in the future?
It has been said that art functions as a 'fuel' for space exploration making 'dreams desirable for engineers to achieve'. From astronomical illustrations to Star Trek, from 2001: A Space Odyssey to For All Mankind, from Brian Eno's Apollo to Laurie Anderson's The End of the Moon, art has played a significant role in stimulating the public imagination and interest in space exploration. Through astrophotography, video installation, animation and storytelling, Secret Satellites undertakes a critical role in understanding space research and its human dimension, exploring the new psychological experiences and philosophical conceptions it represents, while also questioning and challenging its politics of control.
ABOUT THE WORKS
The Other Night Sky (2007 ongoing) by Trevor Paglen
Experimental geography is the framework of Trevor Paglen's multidisciplinary practice that operates between social sciences, detective work, astronomy and contemporary art. The Other Night Sky is a project designed to track and photograph classified American satellites in Earth orbit, a total of 189 covert spacecraft. Paglen has been assisted by observational data produced by an international network of amateur 'satellite observers'. To translate the observational data into a useable form, Paglen spent almost two years working with a team of computer scientists and engineers at the Eyebeam Center for Art + Technology to develop a software model to describe the orbital motion of classified spacecraft. With these tools, he was able to calculate the position and timing of overhead reconnaissance satellite transits and photograph them with telescopes and large-format cameras using a computer-guided mechanical mount. The resultant skyscapes are marked by trails of sunlight reflected from the hulls of obscure spacecraft hurtling through the night. http://www.paglen.com/
Some Structures Invisible to the Naked Eye (2011) by Aisling O'Beirn
Recent work by Belfast-based artist Aisling O'Beirn examines the politics of space from the perspective of a lay enthusiast by investigating technologies and theories behind space exploration. It is an extension of, and departure from previous work on the relationship between the politics of place and vernacular accounts of place, and is rooted in a process of uncovering tensions between disparate forms of official and of unofficial information. In Secret Satellites O'Beirn presents Some Structures Invisible to the Naked Eyein the form on an animation and wall drawings. The work represents an attempt to understand (visually) some of contemporary physics' more quirky and abstract theories relating to space and the problem of representing huge distances, scales and time frames when discussing the formation or evolution of structures in the universe. This new work has been developed in dialogue with astronomers at Armagh Observatory. http://www.aislingobeirn.com/
Escape Vehicle no.6 (2004) by Simon Faithfull
Simon Faithfull's Escape Vehicle no.6 (2004) started as a live event where a weather balloon, with a domestic chair suspended beneath it, was launched from the earth. Once the apparatus had disappeared from view, it could be watched through a live video relay as it journeyed from the ground to the edge of space. In Secret Satellites, Escape Vehicle no.6 is presented as a non-live video work in the gallery. The footage shows the chair first rush away from the fields and roads, ascend through clouds and finally (against the curvature of the earth and the vastness of outer space) begin to disintegrate. Through the work we are invited to imagine taking a journey to an uninhabitable realm, where it is impossible to breath, the temperature is minus 60 degrees and the sky dissolves into an eternity of blackness. http://www.simonfaithfull.org/
The Satellite Investigators (2011)
On 5 March, Joanna Griffin facilitated an open-ended, public workshop in Belfast Exposed as her contribution to Secret Satellites. The workshop set out to 'talk/make/think' through our connections to satellites, and the process involved constructing paper and card models based on a variety of concepts. Included in the exhibition are examples of satellites made and an audio recording of participants discussing the ideas behind their models. Participants included Rachel Brown, Gerard Carson, Keith Connolly, Ruby de Burca Connolly, Stephen Connolly, Ben Craig, Karen Downey, Brighdin Farren, Peter Keys, Susan Lynch, Niamh McDonnell, Aisling O'Beirn and Karolin Reichardt.
Film and installation artist, Joanna Griffin has been researching satellites for some years, investigating the historical, economic and technological factors that have sustained the satellite as an elite, power-based technology controlled largely by a few nations, notably the United States and former Soviet Union, and closed institutions such as the military, scientific research centres and governments. Griffin has collaborated with scientists at Space Science Lab, UC Berkeley and the Mullard Space Science Laboratory (the UK's largest university-based space science research group) and developed numerous projects around space research. http://www.aconnectiontoaremoteplace.net/
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
Secret Satellites is supported by Arts Council of Northern Ireland and Belfast City Council. Aisling O'Beirn and Belfast Exposed would like to thank the Armagh Observatory for supporting her work.
EVENTS
Artist's talk: Joanna Griffin Friday 18 March, 6pm
In conversation: Aisling O'Beirn and Professor Mark Bailey, Director, Armagh Observatory Tuesday 12 April, 3pm
Film screening: For All Mankind (1989) Director Al Reinert Thursday 21 April, 6pm
Visit www.belfastexposed.org/events for details on all events
http://www.belfastexposed.org/exhibitions/index.php?show=past&year=2011&exhibition=92
Belfast Exposed / Belfast
19-03-2011 / 30-03-2011
Outputmediatype: animation
Keywords
- Animation
- Space Exploration
- Armagh Observatory
- solar activity
- space weather
- cesium clock