Life Support Systems - Series
Visually we first became aware of Earth’s atmosphere in iconographic images from the space race during the late 1950’s. The dichroic glass lens of the space suit helmet reflected a perspective on nature that is often overlooked: the world within the context of the universal ecosystem. A single common denominator that further studied with a microscope or telescope reveals an innate collective destiny to which we are all subject. NASA’s further atmospheric observations have revealed the ecological crisis today.
The series Life Support Systems uses NASA space suit helmet glass to discuss the history of monitoring the Earth’s Atmosphere and today’s attitudes towards Climate Change: the forecast for tomorrow. Deceptively beautiful the works examine alarming environmental data and the sublime beauty of impending decay.
The series Life Support Systems uses NASA space suit helmet glass to discuss the history of monitoring the Earth’s Atmosphere and today’s attitudes towards Climate Change: the forecast for tomorrow. Deceptively beautiful the works examine alarming environmental data and the sublime beauty of impending decay.
Technical note: Dichroic Glass was originally engineered for the visor of space suit helmets in the 1950’s, it has been customised in these works by Jasmine Targett and manufactured by CBS Glass Industries USA.
Life Support Systems: from Earth
From Earth the immanent threat of the ecological conundrum evades sensory perception. On a clear morning the sky appears blue, the atmosphere majestic. The unseen danger that looms above appears only as a flickering to those aware of the impending situation.
Life Support Systems: Ether
On the 24th of September 2006 the largest observed ozone hole was monitored in Earth’s Atmosphere. At 29.5 million km2 it more than doubled the area of Antarctica, 14 million km2 including ice.
Ether makes visible the thin reflective film of ozone protecting Earth, and outlines the inconceivable enormity of the unstable area. Like a bubble whose structural integrity has been compromised, the Earth’s life support system is tethered to an ecosystem of universal proportions from which no part is immune from the changes of its counterparts.
Life Support Systems: View from the Tomorrow
View from Tomorrow maps the forecast for changing atmospheric conditions over Antarctica as the ozone hole closes and toxic greenhouse gases are trapped. At sunset the sky is set a blaze with luminous artificial colours caused by pollution in the atmosphere, a beautiful decay predicted to intensify in years to come.
From the outside looking in it is apparent that perception is reliant on perspective. Vast amounts of scientific data produced to comprehend changing environmental conditions challenge the way we make sense of the world. The forecast for tomorrow is reliant on our perception of today.
A City of Melbourne Arts Grant has funded the creation of this work. The series will be exhibited in Wonderland at the Museum of Contemporary Art Taipei, Feb 2012.
Making Sense
Making Sense, 2011. Hand blown and mirrored glass with stainless steel frame.
‘The way we sense is actually something we can evaluate... we can take in our surroundings, but... as we do that, be critical about how we do it. How do we take part in the world in a way that is both responsible, but also have an impact on the world? How can I by looking at art for instance, make sense?’
-Olafur Eliasson
SFMOMA, 2007
The Similarity of Parallel Worlds
The Similarity of Parallel Worlds, 2011. Installation-hand blow, sandblasted glass domes with two videos.
The Similarity of Parallel Worlds visually explores when viewed through a microscope a single cell can bear an unnerving similarity to the Earth’s Sun as seen through a solar telescope. They appear worlds apart and inextricably linked. Tethered to one another in such a way that causes us to question their relationship. As we further examine the science of environmental change it becomes apparent that the cellular is of more influence then its scale infers.
Research for this work has been collated with Dr Judy Callaghan at Monash Micro Imaging, Dr Alina Donea at the Monash Centre for Stellar and Planetary Astrophysics in conjunction with NASA Solar Dynamics Observatory.
Above- Stills from Videos playing inside sandblasted glass looking domes.
Proudly Supported by
