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One of the most fascinating aspects of manned space flight is the state of zero gravity or weightlessness: astronauts and objects floating in air. But it is only recently that this extraordinary 'by-product' of the space programme has been recognised as a rich scientific resource, with a multitude of experiments - from human physiology to fluid physics - queuing up for the space agencies' parabolic flight programmes and for the new International Space Station. To date, the aesthetic possibilities of zero gravity have barely been explored, in part due to the exclusiveness of the environment, accessible only to astronauts and scientists.
In recent years, a small handful of artists have managed, through negotiations with international space agencies, to access the restricted environment of parabolic 'zero gravity' flights - the only way to achieve weightlessness for a significant duration within the Earth's atmosphere. The Arts Catalyst is now able to offer this opportunity to other artists through our relationship with the Yuri Gagarin Centre and with Projekt Atol Flight Operations in Slovenia.
In September 2001, the Arts Catalyst took a group of London and Russian artists, scientists and philosophers to Star City, Russia, to undertake projects in zero gravity, utilising the Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Centre's parabolic flight programme.
The Russian Federation is a nation with a large space programme. To carry out this programme it is necessary to train cosmonauts in real conditions of space flight - zero gravity. To achieve zero gravity in earth conditions, the Yuri Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Centre uses the flight of a special flying laboratory - the Ilyushin-76 MDK - on a parabolic trajectory. They have extensive experience of these flights. The IL-76 MDK is a very large aircraft specially adapted for parabolic flight.
Flight 001
London and Russian artists and scientists selected for the MIR flight 001 (some flying, some ground-based) were:
Anna Alchuk, artist and poet
Ansuman Biswas, artist and musician
Alexei Blinov, engineer and member of Raylab
Anthony Bull, biomechanics scientist, Imperial College London
Jem Finer, artist and musician
Kevin Fong, doctor, lecturer in space medicine, University College London
Edward George, musician and member of Flow Motion
Andrew Kotting, film director
Trevor Mathison, musician and member of Flow Motion
Judith Palmer, freelance journalist
Anna Piva, musician and member of Flow Motion
Mikhail Ryklin, scientist and philosopher
Morag Wightman, dancer
Louise K Wilson, artist
Andrey and Julia Velikanov, artists
Resulting projects have included:
Gravity: A Love Story - Morag Wightman & Craos Mor
Zero Genies - Jem Finer & Ansuman Biswas
Wave Particle - Jem Finer & Ansuman Biswas
Kosmos in Blue - Flow Motion
Too G - Andrew Kotting
