LEAVE TO REMAIN, EPISODE II

PHILAE AT COMET 67P/CHURYUMOV–GERASIMENKO

NEAR SHOEMAKER AT EROS

MARS POLAR LANDER AT PLANUM AUSTRALE

SERIES STATEMENT

As lockdown restrictions eased, holiday-makers in their caravans flooded my local area. I began to think about what elements these sorts of journeys entailed, and the sort of anxiety that might arise as you packed your belongings into a large metal tube and departed for far-flung destinations. A connection was made between this sort of earthly voyage and space travel.

Both types of journey are, in some way, circular in nature. To return to your point of origin is success. Any other outcome is deemed a failure. The vessels used in both types of trip also share aspirational names: Discovery, Sunseeker, Challenger, Pegasus, Pioneer, Conqueror.

Each image in this series borrows a storyline from a space mission that ended in a crash, a wrong turn resulting in disappearance or, in some cases, an abrupt abandonment. Once lost in the emptiness of space, attempts are made to contact home: a ping from a distant world looking for some sort of guidance.

In absence of any sort of helpful reply, questionable decisions are made that recklessly deplete what few supplies and resources are available. Personal entertainment and an acceptable level of personal comfort take precedence over any strategy for long-term survival.

RÉSEAU PLATES AND FIDUCIAL MARKERS

THE CIRCADIAN CLOCK