I developed this series when I was a resident artist in the 18th Street Arts Center in Lost Angeles, USA in 2012.
Just a few days after I arrived at the center, “Curiosity,” an American robot rover, made it to Mars, marking a new step of space science. Some more days later, Neil Armstrong, the first astronaut who landed on the Moon, passed away. His death reminded people of the old-time controversy over mankind’s first trip to the Moon, one taken during the Cold War. Many believe that this has been a fraud. And in Los Angeles, the stronghold of the hegemonious Hollywood, naturally, people were much interested about the possible fabrications. One month later, space shuttle Endeavor retired from the NASA in Houston and was transported to Los Angeles by Boeing 747 to be an educational material. Escorted by fighter jets, the shuttle hovered above the city victoriously for several hours as it received salutations from people. Endeavor’s arrival not only boosted the public’s patriotism but also the city’s tourism.
Together, these experiences helped me to view my residency differently. Artist residency, for others, may seem a small step, because they tend to miss how much effort and networking must be invested in it. Likewise, although many of us are amazed by Project Apollo’s creativity—suppose that it has been a fraud—we probably will never know the motivation behind it. Was it carried out to explore the space, to develop science, to boost the economy, to reach the aliens, or to enhance patriotism? Maybe all of these were true. Why did Endeavor retire? And why did people want to explore Mars? Well, maybe none of us will ever know the answers. We may even never be able to learn some of the truths in everyday life. This is like when we look at the Moon from the Earth, we can never see the other side of it.