Outer space is a domain where dominant cultural meanings are in desperate need of reconstruction and reclamation.
As a prelude to the Thinking on Screen workshop with TransArts, Joseph Popper discusses the ways
his practice engages with imagining outer space futures and the social, cultural, and earthly norms that space exploration
confronts us with.
His research analyses the intricacies of a powerful imaginary of space settlement,
which performs as a stabilising infrastructure for an influential community that is shaping the space sector. Responding to
this analysis, he experiments with the video essay as an artistic strategy for imagining outer space otherwise. Through creative
and critical (re)combinations of filmed and found footage, the video essays address and estrange the pervasive images and
stories he finds guiding a global industry reaching beyond Earth.
Joseph Popper is an artist and
researcher working across various media including film, installation, and photography. His interdisciplinary practice explores
the complex interactions between collective imaginations and technological projects, examining visions of desirable futures
and their different materialisations. He consistently engages with outer space imaginaries and the ways in which space-related
activities entangle with terrestrial concerns and conditions. His works are exhibited internationally, including at La Gaîté
Lyrique in Paris, La Panacée Centre in Montpellier, Baltic Centre for Contemporary Art in Gateshead and the Vitra Design Museum
in Weil am Rhein.
josephpopper.net
