APOLLO 2021 floating in the bay during Art Basel Miami Beach © courtesy of the artist and Half Gallery
After exploring sculpture as a medium with Astronaut, Michael Kagan worked again with Factum Arte on the production of APOLLO 2021 for its unveiling at Art Basel Miami Beach (December 2 - 4, 2021). The inspiration comes from the Apollo 11 Command Module (nicknamed "Columbia"), the living quarters for the three-person crew during most of the lunar landing mission in July 1969.
In 2016, the Smithsonian's Digitization Program Office created an official 3D model of the capsule in the collection of the National Air and Space Museum in Washington, D.C. Working from the available 3D model, the capsule was rematerialised in Factum Arte's workshop at reduced scale with a floating system for a temporary display in the water. The main sections were resin cast, with additional sections CNC-milled in polyurethane and details 3D printed. After assembling the various sections and details over a carbon-steel structure, the sculpture was painted in a water-resistant zinc-based grey, using black for the writings and symbols such as the American flag and the artist's signature.
The piece was exhibited by Half Gallery, floating in the bayside in front of the Mondrian South Beach hotel.
Aniuska Martin polishing the CNC-milled details © Oak Taylor-Smith for Factum Arte
3D printed and CNC-milled details assembled © Oak Taylor-Smith for Factum Arte
Testing the floating system © Oak Taylor-Smith for Factum Arte
The two sections before painting © Oak Taylor-Smith for Factum Arte
The painted sculpture in Factum's workshop © Oak Taylor-Smith for Factum Arte
The painted sculpture in Factum's workshop after adding the details and the artist's signature © Oak Taylor-Smith for Factum Arte
Installed at Art Basel Miami Beach © courtesy of the artist
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