In Stanley Kubrick’s masterpiece,
2001: A Space Odyssey, mankind is sent on a sort of scavenger hunt to the cosmos, in search of the entity responsible for the placement of the evolution-inspiring monoliths. The search is powered by human-created technology in the form of the wisecracking HAL9000 computer. What transpires is a battle for evolutionary control between man and machine. The art world’s resident ghost in the machine, L, offers her take on the never-ending story in “Hello, Dave.” Look all you want, the artist teases, and you’ll end up right where you began. By placing the coyly smiling child inside the astronaut’s helmet, L takes a direct stab at one of the most famous images from the film. But instead of a mind-bended space captain peering into the void, L’s child radiates playful, all-knowing innocence: all of and none of the questions are answered here. And that, says L, is the closest we’ll ever get. Take heed, NASA.
In Stanley Kubrick’s masterpiece, 2001: A Space Odyssey, mankind is sent on a sort of scavenger hunt to the cosmos, in search of the entity responsible for the placement of the evolution-inspiring monoliths. The search is powered by human-created technology in the form of the wisecracking HAL9000 computer. What transpires is a battle for evolutionary control between man and machine. The art world’s resident ghost in the machine, L, offers her take on the never-ending story in “Hello, Dave.” Look all you want, the artist teases, and you’ll end up right where you began. By placing the coyly smiling child inside the astronaut’s helmet, L takes a direct stab at one of the most famous images from the film. But instead of a mind-bended space captain peering into the void, L’s child radiates playful, all-knowing innocence: all of and none of the questions are answered here. And that, says L, is the closest we’ll ever get. Take heed, NASA.
Beautifully succinct account of 2001. Not an easy task!
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