Art in Space Launch - 1984

Art in Space Launch was a live performance event held outside of San Francisco with Sam Samore, Aron Ranen, Mike Mages and some help from Walter Alter. Our purpose was to send art into space for the first time.

We knew it was controversial and probably illegal but we decided as a group to move forward. We devised a plan to put out posters and news to gain an audience. To get the city off of our backs if they got upset when they saw the news, we would designate a location and apply for a permit, going through the proper channels. Of course we expected a decline and arranged to send people to a construction site outside city limits. At the last minute the "very nice" city permit department called to say we couldn't do the launch and wanted to hear what we were going to do about it.

I responded with something like, " Oh no! We'll have to just do it anyway."  The police arrived at the park with paddy wagons ready for a surly group (as reported by our map and shuttle crew) but we were gone by then.

Sam continues his visual art works, Aron teaches documentary video and is best known for Did We Go? claiming the moon landing was a hoax, Mike is an engineering manager at Apple Computer and Walter is a experimental artist (you can see more about Walter on my InterDADA 84 blog).

Photos are by Steve Caravello except for the close cropped ones are by Catz Robmaw, and the last image is by Judy Dater.

If your art was on this first launch and you didn't get your certificate let me know where to email it.