SACRED SPACE EARTHSUIT
By Ian Cion
Learning from his exploration of space suit design and looking at the current state of the world, Cion became interested in the idea which he calls Earthsuits, a new type of functional clothing that mitigates against a host of environmental and cultural dangers and creates a mobile and climate-controlled environment that is designed and produced in a way that does not contribute to the problems it seeks to protect against.
While inspired by spacesuits, Cion’s aesthetic draws heavily on a range of artistic traditions, most especially collage and quilting. This aesthetic emphasizes the idea that time itself creates beauty and that things aged and cherished are enhanced by the patina of wear. Cion, in working to create Earthsuits that are as much biological as technological, has arrived at a significant moment in the design process, one that is perhaps best visualized not through slick 3D renders or holograms, but by the soft and hand-made quality of his paint and fabric collage.
Artwork Details:
Acrylic on canvas
2021
18’’ (w) x 24’’ (h)
Unframed
$ 3,800 USD
One-to-one customer service provided. Prices do not include shipping, insurance, taxes, or import fees.
About the Artist
Ian Cion started Spacesuit Art Project in 2015, in cooperation with astronauts and cosmonauts from multiple international space agencies, including NASA, the European Space Agency, the Canadian Space Agency, the Japanese Space Agency and the Russian Space Federation, and children undergoing cancer treatment in pediatric centers around the globe. Working with ILC Dover, who have manufactured spacesuits for NASA since the Apollo era, Ian helped turn the artwork collected in patient art studios he led in pediatric cancer hospitals into replica art spacesuits. This project led to the formation of several organizations, including the Space for Art Foundation, for which Ian serves as a founding director along with Astronaut Nicole Stott.
Two of his art spacesuits have been sent to the International Space Station - the first recorded art exhibition in space.