[BCMA] [MEDIA RELEASE] “All the Stars We Cannot See” can now be seen in Kelowna

[Moderated BCMA subscriber listserv]

For Immediate Release



“All the Stars We Cannot See” can now be seen in Kelowna



All the Stars We Cannot See: Megan Smith and Gao Yujie

October 28, 2023 to March 10, 2024



October 25, 2023 – Kelowna, BC: Have you ever wondered just how many satellites are circling the globe right now? That’s one of the questions that led two artists down a rabbit hole that resulted in an immersive art installation which visualized what they found.



The project is called All the Stars We Cannot See and it is the culmination of Megan Smith and Gao Yujie’s deep look at active satellite data. Visitors will have the chance to experience a virtual sky activated by 25,500+ satellites orbiting Earth in their installation at the Kelowna Art Gallery.



“The proliferation of social media has meant the amount of communication and images transferred between people has exploded,” says Megan Smith. “We looked up into the sky for answers about how that would impact the space surrounding Earth, and we wondered just how many satellites are up there, anyway?”



Viewers can get a sense of this as they gaze skyward (or at least ceiling-ward) in a darkened exhibition space. The room features furniture for visitors to stretch out on as they look up at the visual dataset projected above them. The projection is accompanied by an audio soundtrack composed by the artists, and Da Xu. An eye-catching vinyl graphic that wraps around the outside of the Gallery building has also been designed and installed by the artists. It will be nearly impossible to miss.



“The first time we put our visuals on the big screen, my perception of the project’s scope changed,” says Gao Yujie. “It felt like all these satellites were coming at me and I was surprised to enjoy the feeling of moving through space with all of these objects.”



The artists hope to render visible the global impact of satellite density and build an opportunity for discussion on the impact of colonizing space. Audiences can experience All the Stars We Cannot See from October 28, 2023 to March 10, 2024.



Megan Smith holds a PhD in Contemporary Art & Graphic Design from Leeds Beckett University and is currently an Associate Professor in the Faculty of Creative & Critical Studies at the UBC Okanagan. Gao Yujie holds a PhD in Interdisciplinary Studies in Digital Arts and Humanities from UBC Okanagan, where she is a Sessional Lecturer in Creative and Media Studies.



The artists would like to recognize Aristotle Roufanis for the database design, Da Xu for the sound design, and acknowledge support from Canada Foundation of Innovation, Killam Trusts, and the Faculty of Creative & Critical Studies at UBC Okanagan.



The Kelowna Art Gallery is located at 1315 Water Street, in downtown Kelowna, B.C.



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Resources



Exhibition Webpage: https://kelownaartgallery.com/all-the-stars-we-cannot-see/

Project Webpage: https://allthestarswecannotsee.space/

Project Video (2022): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fSS9NitPho8&list=TLGGeAotlAKgsDMyNTEwMjAyMw&t=20s



For additional high-res images, to arrange an interview with the artists, or other media enquiries, please contact:



Joshua Desnoyers

Marketing and Events Coordinator



Kelowna Art Gallery

1315 Water Street, Kelowna, BC V1Y 9R3

250-762-2226 ext. 305

josh at kelownaartgallery.com<mailto:josh at kelownaartgallery.com>

www.kelownaartgallery.com<http://www.kelownaartgallery.com>
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