Process

Video

Astrogeneris Mementos

2008
Assemblages with human hair.
2 x 2 x 1/2 Inches each
The first assemblage sculptures ever exhibited in outer space. Also included in the first art exhibit of paintings and sculpture in space as well, transported and curated by game entrepreneur/explorer Richard Garriott who flew to the space station in the fall of 2008. You can see the small sculptures in the photo here on the green bulletin board next to Richard during his flight aboard the International Space Station.
Collection of Richard Garriott

These small sculptures were made specifically for and taken into outer space to the International Space Station by astronaut, Richard Garriott, the legendary on line and video game entrepreneur and explorer. Richard has been a collector of my work for several years and when I heard about his trip into orbit, I contacted him and approached him with the idea of taking some art into space. Richard was delighted and we began a collaboration that will included the first, in space art exhibition with these pieces and the work of several others aboard the space station. Garriott and his father, former shuttle astronaut, Owen Garriott donated locks of their hair to be sealed in the memento chambers, roughly inspired by the memento mori lockets of the 19th century which contain the hair of loved ones who have died or gone abroad. Initially I was hoping to use blood as I had before in the Blood Reliquary Series, however the space agencies policies make it difficult to use possible pathogen carrying or other space hazardous materials such as glues or plastics that could off-gas or deteriorate. Garriott flew aboard the Russian Soyuz spacecraft in 2008 to the International Space Station as a client of Space Adventures and returned with the sculptures.