SMITH
ASTROBLÈME
Conceived from the outset with astrophysicist Jean-Philippe Uzan, the Désidération project explores the links that put together humanity and its stellar origin. How can we define, observe, and reappropriate the cosmic dimension of our genealogy? It is about highlighting the areas where artistic and scientific research meet, by creating new forms capable of modifying our relationship to the conception of our origins, and our nostalgia for the stars.
In the framework of the Résidence 1+2, SMITH has created Astroblème, a poetic, photographic and video island of this new project-archipelago. Produced with the help of partners from space – sector located in Toulouse and its metropolis as well as in Occitanie (the Cité de l’Espace, the IRAP, the Pic du Midi de Bigorre, the Museums of Toulouse and Montauban) and in collaboration with the writer Lucien Raphmaj and the composer Noé Cuellar, “Astroblème” (a word composed of astron (“astre”, “star”) and blêma (“coup”, “blow”) referring to traces left by the impact of a meteorite and an asteroid on Earth) brings together texts, images, and music in an epic micro space opera. Telling the crossed adventures of an astronaut, played by Heriman Avy, and a Martian meteorite, NWA 10170, in transit between two worlds, this space-opera draws contours of a humanity in dialogue with its cosmic origin.