EP9 Starlight Reserves Sculpture (scroll down to watch the video)
This year the Botanical Gardens celebrates 100-year anniversary. In 1923, American astronomer Edwin Hubble identified individual stars in the Andromeda Nebula, leading to his revolutionary discovery that the Milky Way was not the only galaxy in the universe. Today, one hundred years later, similar astronomical observations are hampered by the proliferation of satellites and the increasing amount of space debris orbiting the Earth, reflecting sunlight and obstructing visibility.
Sculptor Josefina Posch explores pollution in space caused by colonization and tourism led by rich nations and private companies. Although we are still struggling to find solutions to the negative impact on the environment and cultures the colonization of the Earth has had, the behavior continues into space. The inspiration and title of the sculpture EP9 comes from the nearly 3-ton container Exposed Pallet 9, which the International Space Station launched into space in 2021. The container, containing old batteries that have been replaced with new lithium batteries over five years, is expected to circulate around the Earth for 2-4 years before entering the Earth’s atmosphere and hopefully burn up. Starlight Reserves is a concept developed by the UNESCO World Heritage Centre and the International Astronomical Union where a site has a commitment to defend the quality of the night sky and the availability of starlight to preserve its cultural, scientific, astronomical, natural and landscape values.
The sculpture installed in the Botanical Gardens, Amerikadammen is an attempt to 3D print in recycled plastic from electronic scrap with IRBAM in one large piece and is a collaboration with Samuel Johansson and Woodrow Wiest RISE – AM center in Mölndal, Sweden. With a focus on sustainability, Josefina Posch uses recycled and reused materials in her art projects to highlight their potential for material production and promote environmental awareness. The sculpture seeks to inspire dialog and reflection to contribute to a more sustainable and just future on earth and in space.
More of Josefina Posch´s Space Debris Projects can be found here
Supported by: Göteborgs Stad Kulturstöd; Göteborgs Botaniska Trädgård; HDK-Valand – Högskolan för Konst och Design Göteborgs Universitet; Samuel Johansson & Woodrow Wiest RISE AM-center in Mölndal and Katja Lindblom Slottskogsobservatoriet.
