Conquest of Space: Science Fiction & Contemporary Art

'Conquest of Space: Science Fiction & Contemporary Art' reveals previously unexplored intersections between science fiction (SF) and art. Science fiction and art have long been connected by a set of related interests such as technology and formal expressions. Science fiction in its most popular manifestations, such as literature and cinema, expresses cultural anxieties and desires through a set of concepts, tropes and themes shared with the visual arts.

This exhibition features more than 40 artworks exploring important stories in the history of the science fiction genre.
 

Artists
Giles Alexander
Rick Amor
Lionel Bawden
Nicholas Chevalier
Shoufay Derz
John A Douglas
Hayden Fowler
James Gleeson
Michaela Gleave
John Glover
Tristan Jalleh
Phil James
Biljana Jancic
Shalini Jardin
Megan Jenkinson
Madeleine Kelly
Robert Klippel
Sam Leach
Tony Lloyd
Laith McGregor
Callum Morton
nova Milne
Adam Norton
Joel Rea
Sandra Selig
Kate Shaw
Sam Smith
Jeffrey Smart
Eugene Von Guerard

Curator
Dr Andrew Frost, documentary host and COFA lecturer.

This multi-faceted project is presented in partnership with ABC TV, the Art Gallery of New South Wales and the College of Fine Arts, UNSW.

 

Adam Norton, Last Man On Earth 2012, Conquest of Space 2012. Installation view, 'Conquest of Space: Science Fiction & Contemporary Art', UNSW Galleries 2014. Photo: Britta Campion

 

Biljana Jancic, Bow 2014. Installation view, 'Conquest of Space: Science Fiction & Contemporary Art', UNSW Galleries, 2014. Photo: Britta Campion 

 

Installation view, 'Conquest of Space: Science Fiction & Contemporary Art', UNSW Galleries, 2014. Photo: Britta Campion

 

nova Milne, Videodromes for the Alone Amputee of the Neurotic Future 1988-2012. Installation view, 'Conquest of Space: Science Fiction & Contemporary Art', UNSW Galleries, 2014. Photo: Britta Campion

 

Installation view, 'Conquest of Space: Science Fiction & Contemporary Art', UNSW Galleries, 2014. Photo: Britta Campion

Public Program

The Conquest of Space exhibition is a component of a wider project incorporating an ABC1 TV documentary, a symposium at the College of Fine Arts (COFA Campus), and a science fiction film program at the Art Gallery of New South Wales.

Curator Talk
1pm Wednesday May 28, UNSW Galleries

Dr. Andrew Frost is an art critic, writer, broadcaster and lecturer. In 2007 Frost wrote and presented the three-part series The Art Life for ABC1 followed by a second series in 2009. His latest project, 'Conquest of Space: Science Fiction & Contemporary Art', includes an exhibition at the College of Fine Arts (COFA), a TV documentary to be screened on ABC1, and a film program at the Art Gallery of New South Wales.

A floor talk examining the overall Conquest of Space project.

Science Fiction Symposium
9am- 5pm Saturday June 14, Lecture Theatre EGO2 UNSW Art & Design 

The symposium explores topics including the following:

• Science fiction and contemporary art
• Science fiction and the work of individual contemporary artist[s]
• Science fiction as a visual experience
• Formulations of the “future” and how it relates to the creation of art, film, games
• Critical and theoretical readings of science fiction film, art, games etc
• The examination of SF tropes, concepts etc as they relate to narrative in media
• Science fiction and its influence on sound art, soundtracks, and music
• The study of genre with specific reference to SF
• Considerations of the nature of visuality as it relates to generic SF or quasi-generic objects such as works of art, examples of design and architecture
• Any more general papers related to SF in literature, film or other media

Following the symposium, there is a special screening of Robert Smithson’s Spiral Jetty (1970) and Charles and Ray Eames’ The Powers of Ten, 1977.

Conquest of Space Future Screen
The Domain Theatre, Art Gallery of New South Wales and COFA, UNSW

Film program at the Art Gallery of New South Wales and COFA, UNSW.

Cinematic science fiction (SF) has grown from a B movie genre into a series of world-dominating entertainment franchises. While the mainstream SF blockbuster is predictably conservative and presents variations on well-worn formulas, SF cinema over the last 15 years has also produced a series of intriguing and thoughtful films that revisit some of the genre’s most popular concepts – from the giant monster movie to the time travel puzzler, from the cutting satire to the romantic dystopia.

See the full film program here.