Greetings from the Ecosphere

Year: 2016

The word ecosphere refers to the habitable zone around a star. Due to the temperatures in this region of space, it is possible for water to exist in liquid form on planets with similar atmospheric pressure to Earth. The presence of water on a celestial body is essential for the development of all forms of life that we know.


"Greetings from the Ecosphere" is a continuation of my exploration into man's place in the universe. We are now at a point in history, where space tourism is a reality and plans for the colonization of other objects in the solar system are no longer as far-fetched, as they once were. For the first time since we landed on the moon, expansion does not only involve numerous satellites and rovers, but the flight of humans to far-away objects in our solar system. The subject of colonization has become popular due to its fantastical nature and the archetypal appeal of a voyage into and discovery of the unknown. However, to prepare for such a journey we need to look much closer at ourselves - physically, mentally and socially.

Last winter, I had the opportunity to visit the research center "Biosphere 2" in Oracle, Arizona. This facility was built in the 1980s in order to observe Earth's living system, and its place in the Universe. The first experiment in the biosphere involved the enclosure of four women and four men, who were sealed inside the biosphere. Their task was to survive there for two years by producing their own food, water, and even oxygen (the facility was hermetically sealed) and to carry out various experiments in various environments that mimicked Earth’s ecosystems. Although some problems occurred, such as insufficient oxygen due to poor choice of construction materials, the scientists responsible for the experiment were able to learn from these and conducted a second mission successfully. Such lessons will be crucial, if we are to colonise other planets.

Similar research is being conducted in even harsher environments, where such amenities as an atmosphere or even gravity do not exist. These experiments, such as growing edible plants in space, are being carried out on the International Space Station (ISS) and will be crucial if humans are ever to make it to colonies on other planets. Human-friendly regions, where we are able breathe, gain food, and where an atmosphere protects us from radiation are extremely rare in the scale of the cosmos. All the privileges that we enjoy seem to be something eternal and obvious. However, perhaps in millennia people will long for Earth, as we now long for other planets? Will Earth be as friendly a place for life, as it is now? I want to think about my artworks as souvenirs from the ecosphere where I was born and live my daily life. It is a very special place, because of the specific conditions that lead to the creation of plastic, internet, religion, war, space debris, music, mass production, poetry.