Nocturnal Twins by OLO at Fonderia 20.9

Fonderia 20.9 is pleased to announce the opening of Nocturnal Twins, a collective research project by OLO, a multidisciplinary group wishing to challenge norms and craft narratives blending data and fiction.

Overview

The exhibition invites audiences to immerse in speculative documentation of the NASA Artemis Mission.

In the book Astrotopia, Mary-Jane Rubenstein notes how powerful figures like Elon Musk and Jeff Bezos are now pursuing spaceflight—once the realm of nation-states—using visionary rhetoric to advocate space colonization as a survival strategy. Deborah Cadbury has argued that the Space Race was always politically driven, showcasing technological and ideological dominance.

The Artemis Mission is no different in continuing this legacy, initiated by President Trump’s 2017 Space Policy Directive 1, the Lunar mission is a bold collaboration between NASA and private companies. It aims to land the first woman and person of color on the Moon by 2026 and establish a permanent presence to prepare for Mars exploration. In 2020, NASA issued an Open Call for new media partners to enhance coverage of the mission, aiming to inspire as the Apollo missions did in 1961.

Throughout the history of the Space Race, photography has played a crucial role, sparking debate, and serving both as propaganda and scientific evidence. Its use has prompted questions about the relationship between images and truth, influencing public perception. Recognizing the contemporary landscape where truth and fiction intertwine, this project offers a speculative take on the documentation of the Artemis Mission, imagining OLO, as the Media Partner recipient of NASA's Open Call.

Featuring immersive sounds, installations, data visualizations, and videos the show features a pseudo-realistic portrayal of the events, places, people, and innovations that will lead up to the Moon landing of 2026. Central to this endeavor are AI-generated images —crafted as a synthesis of society’s collective consciousness of Space and the Moon— used in place of traditional photography to redefine the documentary form and invite visitors to question how emerging technologies shape our perception of reality.