The exhibition showcasing pictures taken on pioneering NASA explorations beyond the earth's boundaries. These missions remain unrivalled in their ability to extend our understanding of our cosmos and of photography's ar tistic and scientific values.
Daniel Blau is pleased to present APOLLO 8 X 10, an exhibition showcasing pictures
taken on pioneering NASA explorations beyond the earth’s boundaries. These
missions remain unrivalled in their ability to extend our understanding of our cosmos
and of photography’s ar tistic and scientific values. APOLLO 8 X 10 hosts photographs
taken on both manned and unmanned NASA missions, presenting an exciting
selection of vintage prints from Apollo as well as Viking, Pioneer, Gemini, Skylab and
other missions.
To See is to Believe
Centuries of human curiosity, as well as pioneering explorations, have empowered an
inherent desire to reach beyond known territories and expand mankind’s vision.
Not only have these photographs provided scientific data, they continue to inform
our cultural understanding of the unknown. Much as Galileo Galilei observed the
unexplored craters of the Moon, the movement of Venus and the orbiting moons
of Jupiter – these photographs highlight humankind’s interest in the subliminal
experience of life, defying our seemingly insignificant presence in our vast cosmos.
How can we distinguish the ar tistic merits between a drawing made by Leonardo
da Vinci of a flying machine and the mosaic panoramas of the moon? From cave
paintings to Buzz Aldrin’s footprint on the moon’s surface, ar t declares the power of
exploration: ‘We have been here, I am here, I am the first’. It is photography which has
enabled humans unparalleled access to observe and record our astonishingly beautiful neighbouring planets.
The simply titled “Mars” photograph taken by Viking Lander 1 in 1976 raises questions
about its accurate representation of the physical world surrounding the Lander. The
photograph’s original, sent via radio from Mars on the day it was taken, which shows
us our familiar blue sky, was corrected by the following day to the reddish brown, to
which we have since become accustomed.
This exhibition will bring to light, and to ear th, longstanding questions of defining a
universal ar t which inherently incorporates technological and scientific development.
Our modern world’s increasingly blurred distinctions between scientific investigation
and creative expression need not be a troubling juxtaposition, but instead an example
of ar t as a subjective and flexible manifestation of human triumph.
Image: Snoopy (Apollo 10 Landing Module)", May 23, 1969 vintage c-print on glossy fibre paper, printed 1969 19,5 (20,6) x 20 (25,4) cm © Nasa © John Young Courtesy: Daniel Blau Munich/London
Opening: 9 April, 6-8 pm
Daniel Blau Gallery
51, Hoxton Square
Tue - Fri 11am to 6pm