6 COGITO in Space
43
Fig. 6.5 The COGITO in space team inside the cabin of the Dwingeloo radio telescope. Photo:
Sandro Bocci, 2017
6.5 Performance at the Dwingeloo Radio Telescope
On the 5 November 2018, COGITO in Space finally settled at the Dwingeloo radio
telescope, its originally intended physical location. The project in fact was designed
from the start to be presented inside the cabin of a radio telescope that would mimic
the post-human outer shell of the body, its life support system in a half humanhalf technological system. The Dwingeloo radio telescope was inaugurated in 1956
and established as part of the Dutch heritage in 2011. The cabin still features some
of the original radio equipment, together with modern amateur radio devices and
its environment has become the iconic filmic set for the ongoing performances of
COGITO in Space since 2014.
I envisioned the event at the radio telescope to be an experience for the visitors
rather than a conventional exhibition opening, with several activities taking place
throughout the day, in form of cinematic reality for which the extra-ordinary and
ordinary mixed. The day started at the ASTRON auditorium with a symposium and
keynote lectures by space philosopher Frank White, cultural anthropologist Fred
Spier, retired NASA astronaut Nicole Stott and moderated by art critic Josephine
Bosma. Frank White introduced the Overview Effect and his more recent concept of
Cosma Hypothesis, suggesting that while exploring outer space, humankind should
avoid repeating the mistakes committed during colonial exploration of Earth. Fred
Spier is professor of Big History at the University of Amsterdam. Big History is
a cutting edge field of research investigating the development of both natural and
43
Fig. 6.5 The COGITO in space team inside the cabin of the Dwingeloo radio telescope. Photo:
Sandro Bocci, 2017
6.5 Performance at the Dwingeloo Radio Telescope
On the 5 November 2018, COGITO in Space finally settled at the Dwingeloo radio
telescope, its originally intended physical location. The project in fact was designed
from the start to be presented inside the cabin of a radio telescope that would mimic
the post-human outer shell of the body, its life support system in a half humanhalf technological system. The Dwingeloo radio telescope was inaugurated in 1956
and established as part of the Dutch heritage in 2011. The cabin still features some
of the original radio equipment, together with modern amateur radio devices and
its environment has become the iconic filmic set for the ongoing performances of
COGITO in Space since 2014.
I envisioned the event at the radio telescope to be an experience for the visitors
rather than a conventional exhibition opening, with several activities taking place
throughout the day, in form of cinematic reality for which the extra-ordinary and
ordinary mixed. The day started at the ASTRON auditorium with a symposium and
keynote lectures by space philosopher Frank White, cultural anthropologist Fred
Spier, retired NASA astronaut Nicole Stott and moderated by art critic Josephine
Bosma. Frank White introduced the Overview Effect and his more recent concept of
Cosma Hypothesis, suggesting that while exploring outer space, humankind should
avoid repeating the mistakes committed during colonial exploration of Earth. Fred
Spier is professor of Big History at the University of Amsterdam. Big History is
a cutting edge field of research investigating the development of both natural and