Week 6 - Space + Art

As nano-science, astronomy is one of the subject that is highly dependent on technology and funding; as many other fields in science, it is still full of mystery and waiting to be explored further. The large scale of celestial objects, the inhabitable environment of interstellar space, and the mystery of alien all together brings up human's crazy imagination and creativity, especially in Novel, Film, Photography and Performance Arts.

My favorite author, Cixin Liu is a award-wining Sci-Fan writer. His series contains three books that elaborates on communications with alien culture, the survival rules in universe as a not-so-developed culture, and the tricky battle between them and humanity.

Many movies have enlightened general population about space-technology and the universe. For example, Martian is a Sci-Fan movie which described how an accidentally left-alone astronaut managed to survive and return to earth on Mars. It gives many details about the current space technologies, such as space intermediate base, space craft, agriculture in space and lives as astronauts.

Gravity is another Sci-Fan movie, but more realistic. It talks about a female astronaut that accidentally lost in space without a spacecraft and how she manages to get back to Earth. It includes a long period, that simulates the reality in space - total silence, unstoppable spinning, darkness and counter-reacting forces. It fully explores the vulnerabilities of human in space and investigates further the psychological struggles of humanities.

In space, there is little gravity and everything will float - if nothing big draws you down. Performance artists and photographers have been trying to simulate this condition without help of scientific anti-gravity devices. (of course not those cheap version on street where you have to seat on a piece of metal and pretend to hold a metal stick).

Universe is full of mystery and many attentions in artist fields have been drawn to this topic. Black holes, speed of light and star-bursting dust cloud -- there are many things to be investigated and learned, leaving a great space of imagination to the rest of the world.



Sources:

"Floating". Benedict Johnson. Courtesy the artist and Nahmad Projects London. London, 2014.

FoxMovies. "The Martian | Official Trailer [HD] | 20th Century FOX." YouTube. YouTube, 19 Feb. 2015. Web. 24 July 2016. 

 

WarnerBrosPictures. "Gravity - Official Main Trailer [2K HD]." YouTube. YouTube, 04 Nov. 2013. Web. 24 July 2016. 

 

Liu, Cixin, and Ken Liu. The Three-body Problem. London: Head of Zeus, 2016. Print. 

 

Liu, Cixin. Death's End. London: Doherty Associates, LLC, Tom, 2016. Print. 

 

Liu, Cixin, and Joel Martinsen. The Dark Forest. London: Head of Zeus, 2016. Print.

 

Wang, Ren. "Say Hello: Waterdrop Film." 「三体·黑暗森林」致敬作品. N.p., n.d. Web. 24 July 2016.

 

Lupkin, Chelsea. "Stryka by Emily Carmichael - Science Fiction." Short of the Week. N.p., n.d. Web. 24 July 2016.

 

Gallo, Irene. "Cover Reveal for Cixin Liu’s Death’s End." Torcom Cover Reveal for Cixin Lius Deaths End Comments. N.p., 28 Apr. 2015. Web. 24 July 2016.