We Share the Same Sky

We Share the Same Sky on Vortic Curated, curated by Lewis Dalton Gilbert. Participating artists include: Amie Siegel, Isamu Noguchi, Yoko Ono, John Richard, Arkhyp Kuindzhi, Himali Singh Soin, Berndnaut Smilde, J.M.W. Turner, Cerith Wyn Evans, Lewis Brander, David Abbott, Andras Bartok, Donald Baxter MacMillan, Forrest Bess, John Constable, Martyn Cross, Latifa Echakhch, Luke Howard, Helen Cammock and Genesis Baez.

When entering the world of virtual reality, one is often presented with a limitless space without borders to gravity, space and time. This new frontier reminds me of the phenomenon of gazing at the vastness of the skies which can make one feel connected to the past, present and future, shared existence and endless possibilities. Allowing us to experience our situations in a larger context. It is this sense of perspective and connectedness that is reported to benefit both our emotional and mental health, with recent studies suggesting that even exposure to nature virtually can help reduce symptoms of anxiety. 

At a time of great anxiety, photographer Andras Bartok solidified his love of the sky, in his project 77 Days, “when we went into the first national lockdown in the UK, I found myself spending a lot of time staring at the sky and clouds from my window, they took on a whole new meaning, coming to represent a wider existence at a time when our worlds suddenly became very small and confined.” Bartok took a picture of the sky every day for 77 days between 28th March - 12th June 2020, he considers these 77 images a marker for the passage of time and an abstract representation of a unique period in our lives. “A reminder of a world beyond our immediate surroundings.” Whilst a slightly shorter endeavour than John Constable, who for several years painted clouds every day and took meticulous notes on the weather conditions in which he painted them, a process he called 'skying' ", Bartok’s project supports the idea of the sky as an equalizer, one that provides perspective to each of our places on the earth.

Whilst the great sky can be used as a unifier, what we take from this can greatly differ as illustrated in Genesis Baez’s Nubes (Clouds), 2019, a single-channel video where the artist speaks to family members about what they see in the clouds. The analysis of these transient phenomena is an activity that is universally known and celebrates imagination, interpretation, togetherness, and time, all while appreciating nature and these recognisable forms of the sky. Overall, Nubes is a beautiful reflection on the power of the sky to unite us through our shared appreciation of its beauty and mystery, while also acknowledging the diversity of our experiences and perceptions.

From JMW Turner to Yoko Ono, artists have long tried to capture the uncapturable, seeking to own a moment or contain the power of the magic of the world above. In 1966, Yoko Ono recorded the sky and played it on a loop in her windowless apartment to feel connected to a familiar presence, her fascination and reliance on this sky is a constant in her ongoing practice, “the sky is always there for me, while my life has been going through many, many changes. When I look up at the sky, it gives me a nice feeling, like looking at an old friend.” This old friend whilst never the same is always there for us all, something Ono tried to remind us of by giving a “piece of the sky” in jigsaw form to visitors of the 53rd Venice Biennale exhibition. 

Similarly, Turner’s seascapes and landscapes captured the ever-changing beauty and power of nature, attempting to preserve a moment in time that could never be replicated. His use of light and colour created an almost mystical quality in his paintings as if he was capturing a glimpse of a higher power.

Both artists were attempting to capture the intangible, the ephemeral, and the ever-changing. By attempting to capture this, they were reminding us of the importance of being present, of taking in the beauty of our surroundings and the world we inhabit. And while their attempts at ownership may be impossible, their art serves as a lasting reminder of the magic that exists all around us.

With the exhibiting artists in We Share the Same Sky, I hope that we can all remember we are a small part of a greater ecology that transcends our lives and that because of this we can acknowledge the things that unite us.

As we navigate through the challenges of today, we can look up at the sky and be reminded that we are not alone in this world. We can find solace and inspiration in the changing shapes and colours of the clouds, the patterns of the stars and the moon, and the endless expanse of the universe. Whether it is through art, science, or simply taking a moment to look up, we can connect with the sky and each other, knowing that We share the same sky.

To view the exhibition on the Vortic archive, please see the link: https://vortic.art/exhibitions/we-share-the-same-sky-20-6749