Odyssey
Kayla Wardle
Major: Biochemistry
Genre/Medium: Mixed Media – Sculpture and Acrylic Paint
About the work: “Odyssey” is a hybrid sculpture and acrylic painting depicting the journey of the Psyche spacecraft. To commemorate the recent successful launch of the Psyche spacecraft, I got the idea of using the spacecraft’s design itself to highlight its mission.
In this piece, I wanted to showcase the spacecraft itself–both its design and its story. I had the idea of turning the solar panels of the spacecraft into canvas paintings. Each “wing” contains five canvas panels that make up a cohesive image. The paintings portray the beginning and end of the spacecraft’s journey. The left panel showcases its launch atop a Falcon Heavy rocket and the right panel visualizes the spacecraft finally arriving at its destination, the Psyche asteroid.
In the spirit of the discovery and innovation of the Psyche mission, I challenged myself to use mediums and materials I was not very familiar with: metal sculpture, gold leaf, and acrylic painting. To get even more creative, I wanted the sculpture element of this project to be made with as much recycled material as possible. I repurposed old file folders, plastic containers, and office supplies to build the body and frame of the spacecraft that surrounds the paintings. Blending new mediums and techniques, “Odyssey” celebrates scientific innovation, discovery, and the voyage of the Psyche spacecraft to a metal world.
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