Celestial Bodies/Terrestrial Beings – Past, Present and Future

Every day we are guided by signals, routes and recommendations, pinging between devices on earth and outer space. As billionaires race to commercialise space-travel and nations establish new defence “space forces”, our spatial imaginaries are expanded, inviting us to reimagine how life may exist in benevolent and malevolent forms across our galaxy. In turn, these transformations impact the way we value life on earth.

Co-presented by UC Centre for Creative and Cultural Research, University Paris 8 – Vincennes - Saint-Denis and the ANU School of Cybernetics, this project aims to build international and cross-disciplinary research network between artists, technologists, philosophers, engineers, and other experts, who are exploring contemporary spatial imaginaries. This research network will be developed through: (1) an HDR masterclass for students at UC and ANU, led by a research delegation from University Paris 8 (Dr Manuela de Barros, Justine Durant and Ezequiel Gonzalez-Comano); (2) a public lecture by Dr Manuela de Barros, 'The Art of Links: How technology Transforms our Magical World'; and (3) 1-day symposium called 'Celestial Bodies/Terrestrial Beings' that builds on collaborations instigated by Denise Thwaites (UC), Manuela de Barros (University Paris 8) and Baden Pailthorpe (ANU) through the first iteration of the event in Paris 2024. The symposium will integrate diverse multidisciplinary research perspectives from the Canberra region. We argue that as a region, we are in a unique position to contribute to these critical research conversations about the spatial imaginary, drawing together deep histories of Indigenous astronomy, modern histories of facilitating Apollo 11 broadcast at honeysuckle creek, while leveraging the ACT Government’s strategy to position Canberra as the nation’s ‘Space Hub’. Symposium participants may include: Manuela de Barros, University Paris 8 – Vincennes - Saint-Denis Denise Thwaites, UC Centre for Creative and Cultural Research UK Frederick, UC Centre for Creative and Cultural Research Alison Wain, UC Centre for Creative and Cultural Research Julian Knowles, Executive Dean UC Faculty of Arts and Design Jess Herrington, ANU School of Cybernetics and independent artist Baden Pailthorpe, ANU School of Art and Design Oscar Capezio, Curator of ANU Drill Hall Gallery and Director of Alfresco (an outdoor gallery in the ruins of the old Canberra Observatory) Erica Seccombe, ANU School of Art Anna Madeleine Raupach, ANU School of Art and Design Danny Bettay, ANU School of Cybernetics Peter Swanton, ANU Indigenous Fellow and Gamilaraay/Yuwaalaraay Astronomer Outcomes for this research project include co-authorship of research articles and NTROS.

We are seeking support from the Australian-French Association for Research and Innovation to complement funding support already offered by UC Centre for Creative and Cultural Research and ANU Cybernetics.