LOOK UP
We live in an era of unprecedented technology and global connectedness yet for people living in populated areas they’ve lost sight of the stars due to light pollution. There’s a limitless sky above us that many people don’t see.
Urban sky
LOOK UP
Suburban sky
I’d like to inspire them to “look up” through creating a series of images that show the range of stars above. I’ll showcase the clearest sky in a dark region, a suburban sky most people relate to and a murky sky above densely populated urban areas.
Clear dark sky
Image credit: http://physics.fau.edu/observatory/lightpol-astro.html
I’ll be traveling to 3 different countries, immersing myself in local culture and looking upwards to see what people living there see at night.
United States
In each country I’ll capture 3 types of skies - a dense urban area, a spread out suburban one and the countryside. These 9 images will be the core of my exhibit and provide a common ground to reveal the hidden sky above.
Calgary [urban] Crossfield [suburban] Banff National Park [dark sky]
Los Angeles [urban] Inland Empire [suburban] Joshua Tree National Park [dark sky]
Canada
Japan
Tokyo [urban] Kobe [suburban] Mt Fuji [dark sky]
WHERE
I love the outdoors. It’s where I go to find peace, relaxation and quiet. However the simple act of gazing upon stars, looking up toward the mystery, awe & inspiration isn’t possible for many people due to the light pollution that hides the stars from our sight. The starry night sky has become so unfamiliar that following the Northridge earthquake of 1994 there were residents calling 911 to report strange sightings in the sky - however the only thing “strange” in the sky was the lack of light pollution due to citywide power outages.
I’d like to inspire people to see the real night sky through a photo series revealing how much of the galaxy is visible in areas less touched by lights, smog and the bustle of city life. It’s my hope that viewers would realize a parallel to what they see in their own backyards at night and be inspired to “look up” with a bit more awe & inspiration than before - maybe even finding a place to enjoy the night sky themselves.
WHY
While on this Xref journey I’ll capture daily snippets of the culture I’m in - the people, surroundings, night sky, etc and share on social media. I’ll engage with locals to understand whether they also “look up” to the night sky and how they connect with it. I’ll be creating a set of 9 images capturing the night sky as seen from 3 countries and viewed from 3 zones - urban, suburban & country. Upon my return I’ll assemble 3 boards depicting each location and revealing some of the local culture - I’ll share at work and make available publicly online.
HOW
LOOK UP