Cosmic Dancer
Technical Description
On May 22, 1993, an artwork that was conceived, realized and launched as a declared, authorized and scientifically-reasoned "space art project," lifted off for its flight to the Russian Mir space station on a Soyuz launcher. A few days later this artwork called the Cosmic Dancer became a part of the living space of the cosmonauts aboard the Mir space station in Earth orbit.
In September 1992, a proposal to launch a Cosmic Dancer to the Russian Mir space station was submitted to NPO Energia via their partner Kayser-Threde GmbH located in Munich, Germany. In November of that year, a "Letter of Intent" was signed and negotiations for the launch date, the price and the determination of the technical specifications commenced.
In December, 1992, a contract with Kayser-Threde GmbH was signed to launch the artwork to the Mir space station on a Progress supply vehicle with launch opportunities in March or May of 1993.
The Cosmic Dancer sculpture is a painted geometric form made out of welded aluminum tubing measuring approximately 35 x 35 x 40 centimeters and weighing exactly one kilogram. These dimensions were prescribed by the parameters of the Mir space station environment as were the acrylic paints which were tested and certified for their suitability in the orbital habitat.
The purpose of the project was to investigate the properties of sculpture in zero gravity and to examine the integration of art into a space habitat environment.
Video of the Cosmic Dancer on Mir
Artistic Description
Since 1981,I have created a series of sculptures that are characterized by their angular geometric shapes. The geometric form of these sculptures enabled them to be positioned in different ways. This aspect allows the sculptures to be viewed from different perspectives and, in relation to their surroundings, the same sculpture can appear to be a unique three-dimensional form as a result of its positioning. Depending on the complexity of the sculpture, usually between four and eight resting positions could be found for each sculpture - the "gravity constant" being the ultimate determining factor.
The Cosmic Dancer Sculpture takes this concept to its logical conclusion by taking advantage of the microgravity environment found in Low Earth Orbit (LEO). While on the Mir space station, the Cosmic Dancer Sculpture could be perceived from an infinite number of perspectives and allowed to "dance" its own dance in the weightless environment of the Mir space station
A 28 minute video and a photographic documentation were made of this by the cosmonaut crew consisting of Alexander Polischuk and Gennadi Manakov.
The Cosmic Dancer Sculpture was sent to the Mir space station on May 22, 1993 and it was never returned to Earth. It is assumed that the sculpture was on-board the Mir when it was deorbited in March 2001.
99 versions of the Cosmic Dancer Sculpture, each exactly the same size and form, but each painted differently were produced to finance the project.
Publications about the OUR-Space Peace Sculpture project:
- 1993 Arthur R. Woods, The Cosmic Dancer: Sculpture and the Absence of Gravity - March 21-27, Published in LEONARDO 26, No 4. pp. 297-301.
- 1993 Arthur R. Woods & Marco C. Bernasconi, Spaceflight of the Cosmic Dancer Sculpture - Paper IAA.8.2-93-773 presented at the 44th Int. Astronautical Congress, Graz, Austria, October 16-22.
- 1994 Arthur R. Woods, Art In Space: The Spaceflight of the Cosmic Dancer Sculpture - Article published in Earth Space Review. Vol. 3. No. 2. April-June. Also cover of same issue.
References online:
"Against Gravitropism: Art and the Joys of Levitation" - Version: 2003
http://www.ekac.org/levitation.html
"Against Gravitropism: Art and the Joys of Levitation", Eduardo Kac - Tate-in-Space 2002
http://www.tate.org.uk/space/spaceart.htm
"The Art Of Life Is Universal", interview with Hans-Arthur Marsiske, spacedaily.com - June 27, 2002
http://www.spacedaily.com/news/spaceart-02a.html
"Leben muss sich ausbreiten - Der Weltraumkünstler Arthur Woods über die kulturelle Bedeutung der Raumfahrt",
Hans-Arthur Marsiske -05.05.2002
http://www.ix.de/tp/deutsch/special/raum/12260/1.html
"The Odds and Ends of Space Station Mir", Robert Pearlman
Space.com - 12.03.2001
http://www.space.com/missionlaunches/missions/mir_junk_010312.html
"Can Art Break Science's Monopoly Grip On Space", Greg Clark
Space.com - 23.04.2000
http://www.space.com/news/spacestation/iss_isadora_000423.html
"Hoch hinaus : Arthur Woods brachte seine Kunst ins Weltall.
Auch seine Gedanken kreisen auf schwerelosen Bahnen." , Elois Stamm
Schaffhauser Nachrichten: 13.11.2008
http://express.shn.ch/default.asp?ID=3968
Website: www.cosmicdancer.com