In 1997 I spent one month at The Science Museum, London researching material from the 'Exploration of Space' gallery and the Museum's library. I subsequently produced three pieces that explore cultural perceptions of Space as an arena for evoking both nostalgia and dread.
'Oneironaut (C)' invites the listener to re-consider the fate of Laika, the first dog sent into space on board Sputnik II in 1957.
Two airbeds were installed on a grey wooden ramp, beside each was a steel box containing a remote control. The soundtrack, played back on CD, was activated by pressing the remote control. Two speakers were installed under each air bed headrest. The sound track combined lucid dream inductions with factual information regarding Laika, the dog carried into orbit on-board Sputnik II. The viewer was invited to bring the doomed dog 'safely back to earth'.
The air beds faced towards a free-standing screen/wall. A continuous forward and reverse video projection combined late 1950s Soviet film footage of the satellite launch and the dog in space, both as a real and a dream-like reconstruction.
It was exhibited at YYZ Gallery, in Toronto in April 1997. The audio-only version of this work was shown at InIVA later in 1997. |
