'The Golden Record' was a phonograph record included in the two Voyager spacecrafts launched in 1977. It contained sounds and images selected to portray the diversity of life and culture on Earth. It was intended for any intelligent extraterrestrial life form, or far future humans, that may find it. For this exhibition comedians, artists and filmmakers came together in a unique cross platform/cross festival project at the Edinburgh Art and Fringe Festivals to create a contemporary remake.
One hundred and sixteen ‘images of Earth’ were compiled for 'The Golden Record' by Carl Sagan and his team of NASA scientists; one hundred and sixteen artists produced a work to correspond to a title assigned from the list. In addition, a series of short video works were commissioned for the gallery exhibition to replace the original fifty five greetings in different languages. Further to this, the exhibition also showed a documentary charting the history of intergalactic communication, focusing on the creator of the original record, maverick astrophysicist Carl Sagan and his wife, pop sensation and Earth Ambassador for World Contact Day, Karen Carpenter.
The Golden Record: Sounds of Earth - Hustings, Pleasance Theatre, 2, 9, 16 & 23 August 2008, 12am—1am
The Golden Record: Sounds of Earth featured live comedy hustings events to elect a Representative for the Human Race. The candidates are Stewart Lee, Josie Long, Pappy's Fun Club, Robin Ince, Alex Horne, Tim Key and Tom Basden, New Art Club, Edward Aczel and Simon Munnery.
Mel Brimfield: Curator’s Talk, 9 August 2008, 2pm
Mel Brimfield discussed the curatorial aspects of her project The Golden Record: Sounds of Earth.
Sunday Satellites 3, 10, 17, 24 & 31 August 2008, 12—3pm
A drop-in workshop for children, getting creative making intergalactic goods to take away!
Download the exhibition information here
Read about The Golden Record: Sounds of Earth in The List.
This is an archived programme entry.
