Space—the Final Frontier

“Space—the final frontier.” Anyone that has seen some kind of major space age film is familiar with those words. Besides the center of the Earth, almost every inch of our planet’s landscape has been explored or at least mapped out by a satellite. The only truly “untouched” frontier would be space.

Space…immensely large and unknown, has been the center of many myths and visions spanning from extraterrestrial life to human colonization. An idea that I believe to be relatively new however, is the use of space as a medium for the eternal memory of the people of Earth.

Trevor Paglen and TheLast Pictures art project was an incredible effort to send a collection of 100 images into space to preserve human existence.  The project was accomplished through the efforts of scientists, artists, and business representatives—truly embracing the multi-disciplinary aspect of the project.

What I found most interesting of Paglen’s project was the dialogue that he wanted to spur around his art piece. He wanted to display the vulnerability of the human race by suggesting the need to place a memory of our existence outside Earth’s stratosphere. Outside a planet that has been severely altered by human action.

Humans have caused major geological changes in the past 100 years. These changes are an example of our carelessness and disregard for the care of the only planet able to sustain life within our solar system. In the event that Earth would be unable to sustain human lifeforms anymore, The Last Pictures would stay as a reminder of how fragile the Earth is and how humans ended their stay on this blue planet.

Art, like space have many things in common the most important being their untapped potential. Space, like art, is always expanding and bringing forth new questions to ask, it is making us discuss and become more open to new ideas, but most of all it is challenging all of us on this pale blue dot to look beyond ourselves. It is asking us to explore that final and immense piece of the puzzle we will likely never fully understand.    

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Resources

Boekbinder, Kim. "Where Art And Space Travel Meet: Why Is The Art World Suddenly So Captivated By The Cosmos?." The Creators Project. Intel, Vice, 08 Oct 2012. Web. 1 Dec. 2013.

<http://thecreatorsproject.vice.com/blog/where-art-and-space-travel-meet-why-is-the-art-world-suddenly-so-captivated-by-the-cosmos>.

Buim, Jay, dir. Trevor Paglen - The Last Pictures Project Video. Creativetime, 2012. Web. 1 Dec 2013. <http://vimeo.com/53655801>.

Darnlooking. “Carl Sagan – Pale Blue Dot.” Online video clip. YouTube. Youtube, 2 Apr. 2007. Web. 1 Dec 2013. <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p86BPM1GV8M>.

McGill, Douglas C. . "Art People; Ellery Kurtz Paintings Will Orbit Earth." New York Times 22 Nov 1985, n. pag. Web. 1 Dec 2013. <http://www.nytimes.com/1985/11/22/arts/art-people-ellery-kurtz-paintings-will-orbit-earth.html>.

Trevor Paglen. Trevor Paglen. Web. 1 Dec 2013. <http://www.paglen.com/>.

Images

Habbick, Victor. “Space Junk.” Photograph. FreeDigitalPhotos.net. Wagging Dog Media Limited. Web. 1 Dec 2013. < http://www.freedigitalphotos.net/images/Telecommuncations_g177-Space_Junk_p125982.html>.

Habbick, Victor. “Spaceship, Planet And Moon.” Photograph. FreeDigitalPhotos.net. Wagging Dog Media Limited. Web. 1 Dec 2013. < http://www.freedigitalphotos.net/images/Space_and_Science_Fi_g289-Spaceship_Planet_And_Moon_p125978.html>.

Hotblack. Power Station. Photograph. Morguefile Free Photos. Web. 1 Dec 2013. < http://www.morguefile.com/archive#/?q=global%20warming&sort=pop&photo_lib=morgueFile>.

Idea go. “Terra Davanti II Sole.” Photograph. FreeDigitalPhotos.net. Wagging Dog Media Limited. Web. 1 Dec 2013. <http://www.freedigitalphotos.net/images/Environmental_Concep_g389-Terra_Davanti_Il_Sole_p10627.html>.

Lisasolonynko. Garbage. Photograph. Morguefile Free Photos. Web. 1 Dec 2013. < http://www.morguefile.com/archive#/?q=global%20warming&sort=pop&photo_lib=morgueFile>.