Cosmos in Art

There is something incredibly romantic and nostalgic about outer space. This unique appeal has made artists revisit the subject of space exploration. 

Todd Pavlisko's installation at the Armory Show this year focuses on the astronomer Carl Sagan. 

Joianne Bittle makes pioneers of the world, such as space explorers, the subject of many of her diorama-inspired works.  

Arianna Carossa, produces fictional narrative by inserting fragments of Argo, a mythological boat with the gift of language, in her photographs. 

The current exhibition at Apexart gallery revisits the theme of outer space too. In the center of the exhibition space on Church street is a shiny and reflective sphere. It's a much smaller replica of Echo IA, a satelloon, invented and launched by NASA on August 12, 1960. 

Echo IA, was created in response to the Soviet Sputnik, which had been launched three years prior.  The sole purpose of the sateloon would be to be seen from the Earth and assert technological advancement of the USA. 

Since the surface of the sphere was reflective, once launched and inflated in space, Echo IA could reflect text beamed on its surface. President Eisenhower stated that any nation could utilize the US contraption and project text to the sphere..