The ‘Lunar Codex’ Is Sending Works from More than 30,000 Artists to the Moon

Isaac Asimov’s ‘Foundation’ on a quarter-sized nanofiche disk. All images courtesy of Samuel Peralta, shared with permission

The global race for the moon is well underway, and as space programs around the world scramble to explore the lunar surface, another project vies for a tiny spot on the satellite. One of many endeavors by physicist and spec-fic author Samuel Peralta, the Lunar Codex is projected to send works by more than 30,000 artists, writers, filmmakers, and more to the moon later this year for safekeeping.

Split into four capsules with varying launch dates, the collection primarily consists of visual art, although books, podcasts, poetry, essays, music, and films are present, too. Artists from 158 countries and every continent contributed works, which are stored on either digital memory cards or a newer, analog technology known as NanoFiche. Similar to microfilm, this archival medium is lightweight because of its nickel base and can store 150,000 pages of information etched into a single 8.5 x 11-inch sheet. In a recent interview, Peralta likened the technological innovation to another apace archive: NASA”s “Golden Record,” which sent audio and images to the moon via the Voyager in 1977.

The first capsule of the Lunar Codex, the “Orion Collection,” already completed its trip with NASA’s Artemis I and returned on December 11, 2022. This fall, the remaining three will launch, with the “Nova Collection” slated to launch toward the Malapert A crater at the lunar south pole in October or November, the “Peregrine Collection” to the Sinus Viscositati plane in November or December, and finally, the “Polaris Collection” to the Nobile Crater and lunar south pole. These will remain on the moon.

 

Dime-sized nanofiche disks used in Lunar Codex’s Polaris time capsule

Given the archive is intended to offer a glimpse at life today, the Lunar Codex contains works that are distinctly 2023. There are prints by Ukrainian artist Olesya Dzhurayeva who was forced to flee Kyiv with her daughters after Russia began its war on the country, along with “New American Gothic” by Ayana Ross, who won the Bennett Prize for Women Figurative Painters in 2021. Ross’ inclusion, and those of other Bennett Prize finalists, is indicative of Peralta’s focus on sending work by a more diverse group of artists than earlier missions. “It’s fitting that, in parallel with Artemis—a program attempting to land the first woman on the Moon—the Lunar Codex is the first project to launch the works of women artists to the lunar surface,” he says in a statement, explaining further:

People have also pointed out other firsts, including being the first project to place contemporary film and music on the Moon. It is the first to include work from disabled artists; the work of artisans in wood, clay, bronze, stone, mosaics, cloth; inked tattoo work, digital art, spray-painted urban art; and to include poetry from a human-AI collaboration.

The aforementioned earlier missions date back to 1969 with Forrest Myers’ “The Moon Museum,” which inscribed drawings by Andy Warhol, Robert Rauschenberg, David Novros, John Chamberlain, and Claes Oldenburg onto a ceramic tile. Two years later, Paul van Hoeydonc created a small aluminum “Fallen Astronaut” sculpture that tagged along with Apollo 15. More recently, the nonprofit Arch Mission Foundation launched several “Lunar Libraries” containing everything from a copy of Wikipedia to Isaac Asimov’s sci-fi classic Foundation Trilogy, which, as shown above, is also aboard the Lunar Codex.

 

Heather Brunetti, “Pearl” (2020). Image courtesy of 33 Contemporary Gallery

As reported by The Guardian earlier this month, no nation owns the moon, although an unratified United Nations treaty states that any use should be universally beneficial. The momentum of the lunar race has subsequently sparked conversations about space colonialism and the potential for destruction, although Peralta reminds those concerned that the technology is designed to store a lot of information in very small spaces.

Ultimately, the Lunar Codex is optimistic, with a hope that future generations—or whoever stumbles upon the archive—will find joy and insight in the collections. Peralta told The New York Times that he considers the project “a message in the bottle for the future that during this time of war, pandemic, and economic upheaval people still found time to create beauty.”

 

Microphotograph of nickel nanofiche with RGB channel images of works on Lunar Codex’s Nova time capsule

Left: Sthef Millan, “In Puribus: Desplazamiento” (2020). Image courtesy of the artist. Right: John Hyland, “As the Twig is Bent, so is the Tree” (2021). Image courtesy of 33 Contemporary Gallery

Anna Jurinich, “The Delusion and Persistence of Peace” (2021). Image courtesy of the artist

Viktoria Savenkova, “Yesterday Today Tomorrow” (2019). Image courtesy of 33 Contemporary Gallery

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Picky Eaters and Critters in Knits Populate Strangford’s Playful Animal Prints

“Knit Picker.” All images © Strangford, shared with permission

Animal hijinks and playful puns fill the colorful prints of County Down-based artist Jo, also known as Strangford. Whippets in knits, bagel-scarfing badgers, and roly-poly felines are just a few of the characters that emerge from lino-cuts and Risographs. “The main surface I’m carving into is flooring lino—it comes in bigger pieces than artist lino—and plywood, though I’m a beginner at wood carving,” she tells Colossal. “I work from home. I’ve basically taken over the whole house now.”

With a background in ecology, Strangford discovered printmaking when she joined local Extinction Rebellion groups, decentralized initiatives designed to persuade governments to act on the climate emergency. “I had previously done a bit of digital work but fell in love with the process of carving and printing,” she says. During the pandemic, her work took on a more humorous and light-hearted quality. “When the world got more serious, my work became more playful.”

A solo exhibition of Strangford’s work opens tomorrow at The Workshop Ballynahinch and continues for two months. A selection of prints are available in the shop on her website, and you can follow updates on Instagram.

 

“Hole Food Diet”

“Silly Billies”

“Some Gulls Are Bigger Than Others”

“I’m Just a Paw Boy From a Paw Family”

“Semi-Snaked”

“Le Beak, C’est Chic”

“Long Otter”

“Ribbit For Her Pleasure”

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In a Celebration of Biodiversity, Vibrant Marine Creatures Swim Across Casa Adams’ Porcelain Platters

All images © Casa Adams, shared with permission

Vivid patterns and the myriad shapes of marine denizens inspire an ongoing series of porcelain platters by Araceli Adams. Working under the studio name Casa Adams, the Sydney-based artist paints colorful crustaceans, mollusks, and fish, highlighting different features in a celebration of biological variety. “Each piece has the species name written on the back, with the hope that it might spark a conversation about our beautiful biodiversity over a meal,” she says, “The plates are made to be used every day.”

When enrolled in ceramics classes around ten years ago at Greenwich House Pottery in New York City, Adams fell in love with porcelain. “I had always loved drawing and painting, so being able to do so on a functional medium such as a plate just seemed perfect,” she says. Her interest in Australian sea life developed when she met her husband. “He grew up in Lake Macquarie, (on) Australia’s largest saltwater lake, and each time we visited his parents, we went fishing, crabbing, and really made the most of being so close to the water. My curiosity to learn more about our underwater species just continued to grow since then.”

In her classes, Adams teaches students to work with underglazes and about the species they paint. She recently partnered with Dr. Yi-Kai Tea, an ichthyologist and taxonomist, to learn about fish he named and then portray them on porcelain. “What I am trying to convey with my ceramics is to make pieces that reflect the sheer beauty of our marine biodiversity—in Australia and across the globe—so they elicit wonder, spark curiosity to learn more, and ultimately nudge towards supporting conservation efforts.”

Find more on Casa Adams’ website, where upcoming classes and available pieces are listed in the shop, and follow updates on Instagram.

 

 

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Chunky Shapes and Lines Morph Into Adam G.’s Minimal Zoological Illustrations

All images © TRÜF Creative, shared with permission

Using his signature messy-modernist style and a palette of red and black, Adam G. (previously) of the Santa Monica-based studio TRÜF Creative pieces together a minimal menagerie. Tiny dots top the ends of a cat’s whiskers, chunky stripes form the belly of a bee, and a toucan perches on a single leg made from an incredibly thin line.

Part of the series Animalia, the creatures shown here were created as a challenge to “loosen up my branding design and tighten my art compositions,” Adam G. says. “I’m always searching to find the balance and blurred line between design and fine art. Since design can be so mechanical, I love taking the defined and often stiff geometry and rules that I use in my visual identity work and then seeing how I can add some fun and whimsy to it all.”

Animalia follows a similar collection of creatures found on land and sea, and prints are available in the messymod shop. Adam G. recently worked on a variety of commissions, including a pair of illustrations for DAR Chocolate and editorial projects for The Infamous and Road & Track. Find more of his lively illustrations on Instagram and Behance.

 

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Eva Jospin’s Vegetal Growths and Enchanting Architectural Ruins Transform the Gothic Palais des Papes

“Nymphées (Grande chapelle)” (2022) . All images © OTresson, shared with permission

Within the gothic chapels of Avignon’s Palais des Papes, Eva Jospin carves parallel narratives tinged with enchanting ecologies. The Parisian artist, who’s known for her large-scale sculptures and installations made of corrugated cardboard, positions her architectural works inside the cavernous papal residence, juxtaposing her cut columns and archways with the historic surroundings.

Titled Palazzo, Jospin’s exhibition features several works created within the last few years, many of which contrast the human-made with the natural through scenes veiled with mystery. Vines descend in dense clusters in “Cénotaphe,” a monumental memorial with fantastical details, while the luminous “Nymphées” evokes crumbling geological formations and jagged, rocky openings combined with elements of an ancient Roman fountain. The theatrical “Côté cour côté jardin” structurally mimics a stage or city square with walls of vegetation, as it questions the relationship between inside and out and considers what remains hidden.

In each piece, Jospin draws on art history and antiquities, exploring interactions between differing spaces. Her use of a humble, recyclable material to depict grand scenes in states of ruin emphasizes fallibility and the inevitability of change, as she explores shifts in relevance and power over time.

Palazzo is on view through January 7, 2024.

 

“Cénotaphe (Grande chapelle)” (2020)

“Côté cour côté jardin (Grande chapelle)” (2021)

“Forêt Corinthienne, (Chambre antique du camérier)” (2023)

Detail of “Nymphées (Grande chapelle)” (2022)

“Petite folie (Chapelle St Martial)” (2023)

“Galleria (Chambre de Parement)” (2021)

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Matt Roussel Blends Woodblock Printing and Painting Into Beguiling Portraits

“L’Oisleuse.” All images © Matt Roussel, shared with permission

An avid printmaker with a love for experimentation, French artist Matt Roussel constantly craves new challenges. In his series of painted woodblocks (previously), he starts with a traditional printing block and carves away the negative space, but rather than applying ink and transferring the image to paper, he transforms an element of the process into the artwork itself.

As Roussel carves each piece, the gouges reveal a tantalizing texture. In his new works, the faces of his subjects remain smooth and rely entirely on painting to bring them to life, while the grooves are reserved for enormous flowers, ornate garments, and dreamy surroundings. “I wanted to put myself to the test of painting,” he tells Colossal. “I’m quickly bored when I make same things.”

The inspiration for his subjects starts with a series of prompts that he plugs into an AI tool, generating arrangements and patterns. “For me, it’s a work base that allows me to do by hand what I see…This is a new tool which helps me, like the computer, when I started to make 3D (work) in the ’90s,” he says. Each piece takes between three to six days to complete, depending on the size.

Roussel regularly makes prints, too, and several are usually available in his shop. This fall, he will be in a number art fairs, including Affordable Art Fair Singapore. Find more of his work on Instagram.

 

“Blanche 2”

“Le Poisson”

“Fleurs”

“Le Manteau du Prince”

“Blanche”

“Le Bourgeon”

“Loup”

“Scarabe”

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In ‘Fancy Pigeons,’ Brendan Burden Captures the Flair of Underappreciated Birds

Jacobin pigeon. All images © Brendan Burden, shared with permission

Often seen clambering for scraps on city streets, pigeons tend to be an overlooked and even despised species. The birds’ ubiquity in urban areas, and their colloquial characterization as “flying rats,” have given them a lackluster reputation that Brendan Burden upends in his ongoing series of portraits.

The Ottawa-based photographer originally encountered the crest of the Jacobin pigeon, a lavish crown of plumage that wraps around its neck like a voluminous garment. “I had no idea pigeons could look this way and started doing some research and came to find out that there is a wide variety of pigeons, wild and domestic, many of which are quite beautiful,” he says. “I wondered whether I could apply more formal portrait techniques to these birds.”

After Ottawa Magazine commissioned him to shoot some creatures for a story on the Canadian Pigeon Fancier’s Association, the Fancy Pigesons series began to take shape. “My intention was to juxtapose the lowly pigeon with formal portraiture techniques and provide a new perspective on something ubiquitous, bordering on completely invisible,” Burden shares. Set against solid, paper backdrops resting in a large, show cage, the images evoke studio shots and capture each creature’s unique features. The Kormorner tumbler, for example, appears as if it’s wearing a turtleneck of brown feathers with a puffy collar, while the Moden’s gleaming, iridescent neck contrasts the soft, black and orange plumes of its body.

 

Left: English long-faced tumbler. Right: Lavender racing homer pigeon

As Burden photographed the birds—all are in the care of fanciers and avian enthusiasts rather than breeders—he learned about the unique relationship they have with humans. Pigeons are likely the first species to be domesticated, a history reflected in Mesopotamian cuneiform tablets and Egyptian hieroglyphics that suggest the practice was likely happening more than 5,000 years ago. He explains:

Had you asked me prior to undertaking this project, where they came from, I would have just assumed that they were wild and had some kind of symbiotic relationship with humans, like rats or mice or any number of other creatures. But in fact, they’re feral domesticated birds, and the reason they’re everywhere is in part because humans have been breeding them, often for nothing other than their beauty, for thousands of years.

As Burden adds to the Fancy Pigeons series, he’s shifting to photographing wild species, a change that requires more travel, time, and patience. “Being that they’re birds, sometimes you just don’t get what you hoped for and have to reshoot,” he says. You can follow his progress on Instagram, and shop limited-edition prints on his site. (via PetaPixel)

 

Kormorner tumbler

Bald head roller

Top left: Crested pigeon. Top right: Copper black wing archangel. Bottom left: Egyptian swift. Bottom right: Crested pigeon

Domestic flight

Ring necked dove

Left: Show homer pigeon. Right: Racing pigeon

Indian fantail

Moden

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It’s a Snail World After All: Tiny Molluscs Slide Around Town in Nostalgic Miniature Sets

All images © Aleia Murawski and Sam Copeland, shared with permission

The minuscule worlds designed by Sam Copeland and Aleia Murawski (previously) are just like ours—only a little bit slimier. Creating small, nostalgic dioramas for the past few years, the pair has a robust collection of sets fit for their tiny snail pals. The mollusks are caught slithering up to a video rental spot to browse horror films like The Snexorcist and Shellraiser, taking a snooze at their office job, and giving themselves a pep talk in the pink-tiled bathroom of a dive bar. Puns and adorable miniature renditions of common objects like a bulky desktop computer and bottles of nail polish fill the scenes, which feel like they’re plucked straight from the 90s.

Copeland and Murawski will have work in a group exhibition opening September 30 at Bedford Gallery in Walnut Creek, California, and have a follow-up to their book, Snail World: Life in the Slimelight, slated for publishing in 2024 by Broccoli. They’re currently in progress on a few video projects, which you can find on Instagram.

 

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