About
I’ve been researching satellites for some years now with the overall aim of making work that looks at what our connection is to this orbital environment, punctuated and described by the presence and architectural formations of man-made satellites.
To start with I’ve needed to learn about satellites and for the last three years I have been looking into the historical, economic and technological factors that have kept the satellite an elite, power-based technology commandeered largely by a few nations, notably the United States and former Soviet Union, and closed institutions such as the military, scientific research centres and governments.
It’s a complicated arena and therefore a long-term project. It strongly relates to an ongoing enquiry in my work with modern technological structures, their cultural politics, inscribed mythologies and with dialogues of watching between myself, as an artist, and the structure, as an instrument of surveillance.
The orbits of satellites represent a significant built environment that is out of sight and largely out of mind. From this stem complications around who controls this space and what the technology is used for. Is there a culture to this environment and if so what is the dominant culture? What happens when individuals outside of this culture also want access to the view from above?
CONTACT
Joanna Griffin
