Astronomy By Day
Astronomy by Day, by Gary Hill in 2003, is a 40ft by 40ft projection on the east wall at the Seattle Central Public Library in Seattle, Washington. Viewers experience the work as a continuous forward tracking shot that passes by thousands of different computer-generated wire frames of 3D objects. The objects are placed so that the viewers can see a slight spherical plane which forms the horizon. Some of the objects that a viewer might recognize are wireframes of a dog, cow, bed, tree, teapot, and many more. The artwork is constantly looping and forms a seemingly endless environment of different variations of gray lines and the darkness between them. Viewers feel a sense of moving past and through the artwork.
Astronomy by Day. Courtesy of the artist: garyhill.com
The wireframe models make the piece feel like some sort of architectural design. Various rendering filters have been applied to produce subtle shades of gray, adding a little more depth to the piece. The piece itself is projected onto the walls of the Seattle Public Library’s floors 6-9. This means that to see the piece, viewers are constantly looking at this from outside and below. The angle that viewers perceive this art combined with the silence of the library and sheer size, 40ft by 40ft, make this piece feel surreal and similar to a memory that’s been almost forgotten. Mr. Hill installed this piece in 2003 when there was a significant rise in new digital art and its acceptance as real fine art.
Astronomy by Day. Courtesy of the artist: garyhill.com
The early 2000’s saw many artists creating digital art that speaks about different societal issues. Mr. Hill’s piece is concerned with the environment and what is left after we digitize everything. Viewers are confronted with a world that is devoid of life, but stores the data of real life objects. The wireframes make the environment feel like a shell of the real world, an imitation that could never match the real thing. This is a permanent piece that will have a new message every year as our thoughts and feelings towards the digital world change with new technology and innovations. Astronomy by Day is built to last and will be thought about with different contexts and personal beliefs.
Sources:
Hill, Gary. “Astronomy by Day.” Gary Hill. https://garyhill.com/work/mixed_media_installation/astronomy-by-day.html
Hill, Gary. “Astronomy by Day (and Other Oxymorons).” Public Art Archive. https://publicartarchive.org/art/Astronomy-by-Day-and-Other-Oxymorons-/698ded53
Hill, Gary. “Gary Hill - bitforms gallery.” bitforms. https://bitforms.art/artist/gary-hill/
“Environmental Art Movement Overview.” The Art Movement. https://www.theartstory.org/movement/environmental-art/
Gerard. “The Evolution of Digital Art in the 21st Century.” Illusions of Wisdom. https://www.illusionsofwisdom.com/the-evolution-of-digital-art-in-the-21st-century/
“The 2000’s - The Age of 3D CAD Un-Enlightenment.” Tech Net Inc. https://www.tecnetinc.com/Y2K.html
