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Spaceship Earth (sculpture)
Encyclopedia
Spaceship Earth is a 350,000 pound Brazilian blue quartzite
sculpture created by Finnish American artist Eino
. The sculpture, commissioned by Brian Maxwell, of Powerbar
the Maxwell Family Foundation for the late environmentalist David Brower and its name was often used by Brower referring to mankind traveling through life in a common vehicle. Today the sculpture is location at Kennesaw State University
adjacent to the Social Science building, the first LEED
certified building the University System of Georgia
.
The 175-ton chunk of rock was formed from 88 individual pieces of quartzite
and bonded with specially made polyepoxide. After these pieces were in place Eino attached a life-size bronze model of the late Brower. Additionally, 2,400 bronze pieces were added to the exterior to outline land masses on the earth.
Spaceship Earth was completed in August 2006 and unveiled in October. In an unexpected turn of events the massive sculpture broke apart and spilling over just two months later. First reports cited poor adhesive and unsound construction contributed to its demise while Eino argued that it had to have been an act of vandalism. The sculpture was rededicated in November 2006.
and lifelong environmentalist David Brower, the founders of PowerBar
, Brian and Jennifer Maxwell, commissioned the 175 ton tribute in his honor. It was during a morning run with photographer Galen Rowell and PowerBar's Brian Maxwell that the tribute was conceived. Shortly after Maxwell met with his friend, environmentalist, and Finnish-American artist Eino to create such a sculpture.
Eino was sent a billion stone samples from a rock quarry in Brazil at the start of the project and "[he] thought, oh my, this is three times harder than marble. But immediately I understood this was the right stone. It is more permanent than anything else. No pollution can hurt it. No graffiti will harm it. It was the right stone to be here for 1,000 years." Over 175 tons of Brazilian blue quartzite was shipped and stored in a parking lot while Eino and Maxwell could secure a home for the sculpture. Locations in Berkeley to Washington, DC were proposed but all were turned down by local art commissions or city councils. For nearly a year Eino argued to have the sculpture placed in the streets of San Francisco but the San Francisco Arts Commission’s Visual Arts Committee turned it down by saying "not only had little or nothing to do with the city but "was too big and did not represent Brower's ideals."
Later, in 2004, Jennifer Maxwell, then the widow of Brian Maxwell, contact the City of Berkeley to find a home for the tribute. A few members of the Berkeley Arts Commission spoke out against the sculpture's design and how it seemed to be forced on the city. In October 2004 the commission voted 7-2 to accept the sculpture with conditions. For final approval by the Civic Art Commission 15 feet (4.6 m) sculpture could not be adorned with the bronze statue of Brower, and the Maxwell family had to pay the entire installation cost. By 2005 with a push from the Mayor the Civic Art Commission found nearly 30 different locations the sculpture could live. In August 2005 two Berkeley area commissions voted to consider another location. While negotiations were dragging on with bureaucrats in Berkeley officials at Kennesaw State University
contacted Eino and accepted the memorial.
Today the sculpture resides at Kennesaw State University
adjacent to the Social Science building. Nearly six years after its conception Spaceship Earth was finished and unveiled on October 20, 2006. In late December 2006, only three months after installation on campus, the earth collapsed. The sculpture was intended to be a permanent reminder to future generations to take care of their delicate planet. After the collapse Eino attributed the disaster to vandalism but later reports associated the collapse to poor construction. Reconstruction was to begin in February 2007 but was delayed until July and was completed by November 2007
Quartzite
Quartzite is a hard metamorphic rock which was originally sandstone. Sandstone is converted into quartzite through heating and pressure usually related to tectonic compression within orogenic belts. Pure quartzite is usually white to gray, though quartzites often occur in various shades of pink...
sculpture created by Finnish American artist Eino
Eino
Eino is a Finnish and Estonian masculine given name. The name is thought to be the Finno-Ugric form of the given name Henri. Both Finnish and Estonian languages belong to the Finno-Ugric language group through their being Uralic languages...
. The sculpture, commissioned by Brian Maxwell, of Powerbar
PowerBar
PowerBar is an American maker of energy bars and other related products ....
the Maxwell Family Foundation for the late environmentalist David Brower and its name was often used by Brower referring to mankind traveling through life in a common vehicle. Today the sculpture is location at Kennesaw State University
Kennesaw State University
Kennesaw State University, also referred to as KSU, Kennesaw, or Kennesaw State, is a public, coeducational, comprehensive university that is part of the University System of Georgia. The university's main campus is located in Kennesaw, Georgia, United States, approximately north of Atlanta...
adjacent to the Social Science building, the first LEED
Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design
Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design consists of a suite of rating systems for the design, construction and operation of high performance green buildings, homes and neighborhoods....
certified building the University System of Georgia
University System of Georgia
The University System of Georgia is the organizational body that includes 35 public institutions of higher learning in the U.S. state of Georgia. The System is governed by the Georgia Board of Regents. It sets goals and dictates general policy to educational institutions as well as administering...
.
The 175-ton chunk of rock was formed from 88 individual pieces of quartzite
Quartzite
Quartzite is a hard metamorphic rock which was originally sandstone. Sandstone is converted into quartzite through heating and pressure usually related to tectonic compression within orogenic belts. Pure quartzite is usually white to gray, though quartzites often occur in various shades of pink...
and bonded with specially made polyepoxide. After these pieces were in place Eino attached a life-size bronze model of the late Brower. Additionally, 2,400 bronze pieces were added to the exterior to outline land masses on the earth.
Spaceship Earth was completed in August 2006 and unveiled in October. In an unexpected turn of events the massive sculpture broke apart and spilling over just two months later. First reports cited poor adhesive and unsound construction contributed to its demise while Eino argued that it had to have been an act of vandalism. The sculpture was rededicated in November 2006.
History
A few months before the November 2000 death of the first Executive Director Sierra ClubSierra Club
The Sierra Club is the oldest, largest, and most influential grassroots environmental organization in the United States. It was founded on May 28, 1892, in San Francisco, California, by the conservationist and preservationist John Muir, who became its first president...
and lifelong environmentalist David Brower, the founders of PowerBar
PowerBar
PowerBar is an American maker of energy bars and other related products ....
, Brian and Jennifer Maxwell, commissioned the 175 ton tribute in his honor. It was during a morning run with photographer Galen Rowell and PowerBar's Brian Maxwell that the tribute was conceived. Shortly after Maxwell met with his friend, environmentalist, and Finnish-American artist Eino to create such a sculpture.
Eino was sent a billion stone samples from a rock quarry in Brazil at the start of the project and "[he] thought, oh my, this is three times harder than marble. But immediately I understood this was the right stone. It is more permanent than anything else. No pollution can hurt it. No graffiti will harm it. It was the right stone to be here for 1,000 years." Over 175 tons of Brazilian blue quartzite was shipped and stored in a parking lot while Eino and Maxwell could secure a home for the sculpture. Locations in Berkeley to Washington, DC were proposed but all were turned down by local art commissions or city councils. For nearly a year Eino argued to have the sculpture placed in the streets of San Francisco but the San Francisco Arts Commission’s Visual Arts Committee turned it down by saying "not only had little or nothing to do with the city but "was too big and did not represent Brower's ideals."
Later, in 2004, Jennifer Maxwell, then the widow of Brian Maxwell, contact the City of Berkeley to find a home for the tribute. A few members of the Berkeley Arts Commission spoke out against the sculpture's design and how it seemed to be forced on the city. In October 2004 the commission voted 7-2 to accept the sculpture with conditions. For final approval by the Civic Art Commission 15 feet (4.6 m) sculpture could not be adorned with the bronze statue of Brower, and the Maxwell family had to pay the entire installation cost. By 2005 with a push from the Mayor the Civic Art Commission found nearly 30 different locations the sculpture could live. In August 2005 two Berkeley area commissions voted to consider another location. While negotiations were dragging on with bureaucrats in Berkeley officials at Kennesaw State University
Kennesaw State University
Kennesaw State University, also referred to as KSU, Kennesaw, or Kennesaw State, is a public, coeducational, comprehensive university that is part of the University System of Georgia. The university's main campus is located in Kennesaw, Georgia, United States, approximately north of Atlanta...
contacted Eino and accepted the memorial.
Today the sculpture resides at Kennesaw State University
Kennesaw State University
Kennesaw State University, also referred to as KSU, Kennesaw, or Kennesaw State, is a public, coeducational, comprehensive university that is part of the University System of Georgia. The university's main campus is located in Kennesaw, Georgia, United States, approximately north of Atlanta...
adjacent to the Social Science building. Nearly six years after its conception Spaceship Earth was finished and unveiled on October 20, 2006. In late December 2006, only three months after installation on campus, the earth collapsed. The sculpture was intended to be a permanent reminder to future generations to take care of their delicate planet. After the collapse Eino attributed the disaster to vandalism but later reports associated the collapse to poor construction. Reconstruction was to begin in February 2007 but was delayed until July and was completed by November 2007