Star City

"Long Live the First Female Cosmonaut" picture by Valentina Tereshkova, courtesy of "Ne Boltai!" Collection

Nottingham Contemporary’s Star City aptly opened during Nottingham’s dazzling Light Night event. On entering the atmosphere of the gallery, cosmonauts greeted me to their newly discovered world, along with shiny gold aliens with human faces dotted around the gallery; I didn't feel like I was in Nottingham anymore......

Contemporary’s second exhibition looks at Communism’s vision of the future during the 60s space race. At this point the future under Communism meant limitless possibilities; the only direction was onwards and upwards.

There are two defining types of exhibit here; artefacts from the past stare longingly into the future, whilst the artist’s exhibits peer into the past era. The struggle in the Soviet was waiting for a utopian promise that never materialized, just roused thinking of an idealistic future. With the artists featured here from both Soviet and Western backgrounds all have a connection to the Eastern Bloc.

Sputnik replica, courtesy of the Science Museum, London

In Gallery 2 the Sputnik replica suspends over visitors, courtesy of the Science Museum London, the beautiful silver orb was a strong iconic image of the space race glory days, contrasting with Micol Assael’s ‘Elsewhere’, exhibited below it, more like science fiction than space travel; it brings a disturbing sense as the structure tilts uneasily towards you across a layer of black water, contorted copper wire twists outwards; an electronic buzz resonates from it and across the room. The uncomfortable vision hits a psychological nerve, the utopian ideas of future and technology here are looked at using exhausted, rusted components, symbolising the failure to fuse the ideals of politics, mysticism and science.

60s propaganda posters brightly adorn Gallery 3 in bold reds and blues, showcasing the triumph of the Soviet, capable of anything, the national hero cosmonauts, politicians and children all feature, looking to the stars and the future.

Aleksandra Mir, The Dream and the Promise, 2008. Part of 30 collages on board with gold leaf frames. Private collection, Athens

On entry to Gallery 4, Aleksandra Mir’s red wall of ‘The Dream and the Promise’ greets you; Religious figures collaged with space images; suggesting Christianity and Socialist utopia both rely on ideals and faith. This wall attracted crowds and smiling faces taking in the curious combinations of deity and cosmos.

Finally beaming down to ‘The Space’ on the lower floor, visiting the fallen ‘Mother, Earth, Sister, Moon’. Her impressive size allows visitors to inhabit her and even stage a futuristic fashion show. A homage to Valentina Tereshkova, the first woman in space and another icon of the Soviet’s propaganda. Where she has fallen from is left ambiguous: space, communism, utopia…?

Not forgetting Tobias Putrih’s beautifully constructed cinema, Goshka Macuga’s cubed museum and Nottingham’s own Yelena Popova there are a variety of exhibits to be seen.

The exhibition questions why this view is so important today? With today's climate, financial instability and terrorism, a positive outlook on the future is hard, so maybe it’s a history lesson in looking to the future?

Star City, the future under Communism continues until 17th April 2010 at Nottingham Contemporary.

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