'Cosmic Culture': Science Museum Oklahoma exhibit explores the intersection of art and space

Part of an active star-forming region within the Eagle Nebula, the Pillars of Creation stretch about four to five light-years, large enough to hide newborn stars in their towering columns of cosmic dust and gas.

Darci Lenker's detailed depiction of the iconic astronomical feature, though, is small enough to fit in the palm of a child's hand.

"I love it. It's such a huge difference. It's pretty fun to try to make it into something that small," Lenker said.

The Oklahoman's petite renderings of nebulae and galaxies are among the vast variety of artworks in Science Museum Oklahoma's exhibit “Cosmic Culture: Intersections of Art and Outer Space.”

"We are showing how both art has influenced science and science has influenced art," she said. "In the very beginning of the discovery of outer space, artists worked hand in hand with scientists to document, if the scientists were not actually artists themselves. ... So, it was an artistic feat," said Alyson Atchison, curator of the museum's smART Space galleries.

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Lenker, the Norman fiber artist, is best known for her little, round, intricately embroidered pieces that are less grandma's favorite craft project than vibrant contemporary artworks beckoning viewers to get closer to see the tiny details.

"Which is why there's glass there," she said. "I think I like embroidery because when I started out I was always drawing as a kid, and it's really kind of the same thing. ... It's just drawing with thread or coloring with thread. But I like that you can make something really complex essentially from nothing, just a string and fabric. ... I've always loved space, too, so it was a pleasure to be able to just focus on that."

Array of artworks

Like the galaxy it explores, "Cosmic Culture" is heliocentric, so it revolves around the sun: New York-based contemporary artist Jacob Hashimoto’s “The Other Sun,” a stunning installation made from thousands of carefully arranged bamboo-and-paper kites.

"This particular one is made up of about 2,000 paper kites. The largest one he's done is around 65,000. ... This particular piece was inspired by the video game 'Minecraft' and the sun in that," Atchison said. "We wanted something that just wasn't typical, wasn't just pictures on the wall. ... We really opened it up to a wide array of media in the entire exhibit."

The exhibit showcases an intriguing array of works by contemporary artists from around the country. Carrie Dickason, who is part of the Tulsa Artist Fellowship, created an installation from discarded plastic packaging displayed alongside satellite imagery of the Earth, while Los Angeles artist Kysa Johnson's colorful abstract paintings double as a creative way of charting the life cycle of stars using the subatomic decay pattern.

Specializing in constructed photography, L.A. artist Cassandra Hanks used earthen materials to create the dioramas she photographed for her "Alien Landscape" series. She used more than two pounds of paprika to cook up her image of Venus and combined condensed milk, organic dye and LED lights to depict Jupiter.

"She paired this with data. She documented this process very well. This is her thesis at University of Texas at Austin," Atchison said. "And they're gorgeous."

Lenker said she enjoys collaborating with Atchison and upending people's traditional expectations of embroidery.

"It's another tool; it's just how you use it. It doesn't have to be a tea towel or an apron or something that would be around your grandma's house," Lenker said. "It's an incredible exhibit. ... I'm so happy to be included in it."

Scientific history

Along with contemporary art, "Cosmic Culture" combines historical artworks with cutting-edge science, from Georges Melies' iconic 1902 short film "A Trip to the Moon" to NASA's live feed of the sun.

"There's one filter that goes through on the live feed of the sun that shows the sun spots and you can compare them today to how Galileo saw them in 1613 using the first helioscope," Atchison said.

She collaborated with Clint Stone, vice president of programs, to bring a planetarium show titled "From Earth to the Universe" to the museum for the duration of the exhibit, on view through March 29.

"It shows us how sky maps have always been a part of the human existence and what a big part they play in our lives," Stone said. "Then, you can walk through 'Cosmic Culture' ... and see how art and science have always been tools that we use together to understand our place in the universe."

“Cosmic Culture: Intersections of Art and Outer Space"

When: Through March 29.

Where: Science Museum Oklahoma, 2020 Remington Pl.

Information: www.sciencemuseumok.org/smart-space.