A Marble Space Odyssey

A Marble Space Odyssey is an AOUMM studio research project that combines the languages of art, graphics and texture design. Conceived as a way of synthesizing the stratification of issues and queries on a variety of contemporary life themes, characterized by increasingly articulated readings, it sets out to explore the growing debate on fake-news, deepfakes and news manipulability; the recent possibility of reproducing the appearance of materials found in nature, such as marble and wood, invading the market with replicants almost indistinguishable from the originals; and private companies’ renewed interest in exploring the cosmos alongside space agencies, even (and especially) with a view to exploiting its resources.

The art world has often taken the lead on major questions, measuring the pulse of society to reveal what ails it, raising doubts and concerns, offering us artefacts that, by sometimes being cryptic, sometimes obvious, lay bare the thorniest questions without any requirement to judge the answers. With a hint of perfidy, Damien Hirst’s controversial exhibition Treasures from the Wreck of the Unbelievable,2 shows how plausibly false information may at least become plausible. 

Then there’s the role of technology, which in the complex relationship between true and false is of critical importance. Fake, imitation or deception, they are all produced with increasing verisimilitude, almost to the point of rendering attempts to reveal them vain. The same holds for the surface design industry, in which we already have synthetic replicas of natural materials whose appearance, sometimes even their feel, would deceive even the most experienced eye, making it hard to work out (not just in photographs but in person) which one is real and which one is fake.

The third fundamental plank of this research is new interest in space exploration from domestic and supranational associations and private players. Today, it all seems motivated by the noblest forms of philanthropy and the highest expression of mankind’s exploratory nature. But what if, in future, cosmic travel became motivated by profit? How tangible today is this intention to exploit the cosmos for resources? And if indeed this scenario is plausible, will we see the continuation of predatory patterns we’ve already seen on Earth?

How far can a totally bogus narrative go while still coming over as plausible or true? If it is possible to imitate an element until it becomes indistinguishable from the original, is it then possible to copy something whose original is now unknown? When and how will we start taking advantage of space resources? 

The overlap of these three questions prompted the idea of producing space marble from unknown galaxies. Rather than seeking answers, it is about shaping a synthesis of doubts. The marble is fake, but verisimilar, multi-coloured, in unprecedented hues and with an in-credible narrative regarding its bizarre provenance. If a slab of stoneware can be so convincing it really does look like Carrara marble, why not exploit this ambiguity and break free from simple mimesis of the already-known? 

The story of these queries and doubts finally takes shape in an out-of-the-ordinary set of furnishings made of cosmic marble. Design objects are artefacts that symbolize industry and the transmutation of matter; they often embody an era’s cultural content. With their light, naïf appearance and upfront decorativism, these imaginary furnishings encompass a story told in layers, made up of many chapters and levels of reading that are revealed at different depths and meanings, depending on the observer’s inclinations and receptivity.