Matters Of Gravity
Gravity exists so that we do not blend together with nothingness
Year
Medium
Press
2015
Zero-gravity space mission
Video, performance, sculpture & drawing
Video, performance, sculpture & drawing
Shows
Credits
Laboratorio Arte Alameda, Mexico City
Polytechnic Museum, Moscow, Russia
MAZ Museum, Zapopan, Mexico
Rubin Center, El Paso, Texas
KSEVT, Vitanje, Lithuania
Polytechnic Museum, Moscow, Russia
MAZ Museum, Zapopan, Mexico
Rubin Center, El Paso, Texas
KSEVT, Vitanje, Lithuania
Directed by Nahum & Ale de la Puente
Participating artists: Arcángel Constantini, Fabiola Torres-Alzaga, Gilberto Esparza, Iván Puig, Juan José Díaz Infante, Marcela Armas & Tania Candiani
Scientific advisor: Miguel Alcubierre
Curatorial advisors: Kerry Doyle & Rob La Frenais
Partner & Mission Director: Andreas P. Bergweiler (Space Affairs)
Funded by: CONACULTA, INBA, AMEXCID, SRE, Laboratorio Arte Alameda, Centro de Cultura Digital, Centro Multimedia, CENART, FONCA, Fundación Telefónica, Fundación BBVA & Fundación INBA
Branding: Marina Corach
Special thanks to: Six Flags, Jens Hauser, Jesús González y González, Nicola Triscott & Roger Malina
Branding: Marina Corach
Special thanks to: Six Flags, Jens Hauser, Jesús González y González, Nicola Triscott & Roger Malina
Matters Of gravity is an arts and science project that addresses a fundamental question asked by science: What is gravity?
At birth, we transition from darkness to light, from weightlessness to heaviness—our first encounter with life. In dreams, we remember this primitive state of lightness and so we dream of flying. Our planet and its life are molded by gravity and yet this force is the weakest in the universe. We find its mysterious presence in our bodies, in our language and we fight against it to grow and to reach the stars.
This project brought together nine artists and one scientist who embarked on a space mission to reflect on gravity through its absence. With guidance from international advisors, two years of seminars, workshops, and symposia paved the way for the production of various artworks during the space mission.
At birth, we transition from darkness to light, from weightlessness to heaviness—our first encounter with life. In dreams, we remember this primitive state of lightness and so we dream of flying. Our planet and its life are molded by gravity and yet this force is the weakest in the universe. We find its mysterious presence in our bodies, in our language and we fight against it to grow and to reach the stars.
This project brought together nine artists and one scientist who embarked on a space mission to reflect on gravity through its absence. With guidance from international advisors, two years of seminars, workshops, and symposia paved the way for the production of various artworks during the space mission.
Ilyushin Il-76 MDK departs for the zero gravity mission at the Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Centre.
Upon arrival in Star City, Russia, and aboard the Ilyushin 76 MDK, a series of parabolas subjected us to varying gravitational forces, sometimes reaching two or even three times the weight of our bodies, cells, blood, and minds. After thirty seconds of excessive gravity, we experienced weightlessness, free-falling six kilometres. Suddenly gravity was gone and we entered into an unknown environment to our bodies and minds, but maybe already known by our souls. Unpleasant and delightful at the same time.
Behind the scenes during the zero gravity flight. Photo courtesy of Space Affairs.
Matters Of gravity highlights the fundamental principles of our earthbound existence. With a lightness that enables us to fly together, yet with a gravity that inevitably brings us back to Earth. Each one of us, on this planet, is tethered to a force that goes beyond all comprehension but not beyond our lives.
A few seconds were enough to experience eternity, to tell a story, to break a paradigm, to liberate a molecule, to have an illusion, to experience movement without references, to create poetry out of falling bodies, to make the useless become useful and to search for the impossible embrace.
A few seconds were enough to experience eternity, to tell a story, to break a paradigm, to liberate a molecule, to have an illusion, to experience movement without references, to create poetry out of falling bodies, to make the useless become useful and to search for the impossible embrace.