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Artists Attempt At 'Zero Gravity Art' Ends in Nausea

by Blake Besharian on July 20, 2008 at 03:06 PM



Three British artists, a black cat, and a mouse spent Tuesday aboard a Russian aircraft nicknamed the "vomit Comet" in pursuit of Dalí-esque "zero gravity" art. The plane is usually used to train astronauts, and simulates weightlessness by doing steep ascents and dives, something akin to a giant roller coaster ride.

Apparently only one artist, Nasser Azam, escaped debilitating nausea, and he finished Francis Bacon-inspired paintings with oil pastels. The cat and mouse were supposed to chase each other in zero gravity while one of the artists filmed them. However, both the cat and the artist became ill after about 3 'loops' and had to be secured to the plane for the remainder of the flight. In summary, Nasser Azam, the only artist not to become ill said, "Quite frankly it was euphoric, there were instances when I was painting upside down. We'll go and have a few vodkas - a few stiff ones..."

The flight, which was provided to the artists free of charge, was a unique cultural exchange between the two countries, which have had strained relations since the 2006 poisoning of a prominent Kremlin critic on British soil, and the forced closing of two British council offices in Russia earlier this year. [Source: USA Today]

Tags: art, expire-images2009-7-9, flight, space

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