Untitled, Garth Erasmus, South Africa, 1996; National Museum of African Art Collection
African Cosmos comes to a close this weekend, and after months of becoming entrenched in the world of cultural astronomy and the strong field of astronomy across Africa today, I find the questions posed by the exhibit—and by the artists featured in the exhibit—still resonant. What exists beyond the Earth, and in what way does it impact us? How can we capture our curiosity & awe of the sky and use it as a connection to ourselves and others? Cultural connections to the cosmos have been found among groups across Africa and beyond, and these connections will certainly continue on into the future.
Though it’s hard to pick a favorite piece in this exhibition, one small, perhaps easy to miss, untitled work (above) by South African Garth Erasmus continues to draw my attention and spark a sense of connection. How many of us have stood underneath the sun, looking upward in search of something? The work of Erasmus presents a story of wonderment common to us all.
