TOWARDS A WORK-OF-ART ON PLANET MARS

The fruit of 4.5 million years of evolution, the human species began t o develop artistic expression 30,000 years ago, a scientific approach a few hundred years ago, and within the last century a surprising abil ity for technological know-how dealing with the infinitely great and t he infinitesimal. Through space exploration, man is now venturing beyo nd his own planet, emphasizing his scientific and technological traits which he has learnt to harness in order to further (Actually, when he sends planetary probes, man presents and represents himself as an int elligent, daring being, capable of both questioning himself and lookin g for answers through the scentific method and the technological know- how presently at his disposal.) However, for various reasons, often le gitimate ones (mass constraints, conflicting objectives,...), he exclu des the artistic dimension from space exploration, even though this di mension could reveal and affirm him in his true essence under an aspec t complementary to that of strict rational knowledge. The purpose of t his presentation is to demonstrate how-through judiciously adding some dozen grammes to a probe destined for Mars-the symbolic impact of suc h missions could be radically widened by introducing an artistic compo nent whilst respecting constraints of the men of science. The artistic project presented below consists of three threadlike spheres each wei ghing a few dozen grammes, in the centre of which metallic forms made of shape memory alloys are developing. The selected shapes, resembling vegetal, ''vital'' and animal life on Earth, are destined to transfor m themselves into line with Martian days and nights and likewise, Mart ian seasons. Such a proposition is based on 10 years of research and d evelopment into shape memory alloys and their application in art. Copy right (C) 1996 Published by Elsevier Science Ltd