One-fifth of the World population has already lost the possibility of seeing the Milky Way. Its image, printed on thermal receipt paper, alterable with light and heat, fade turning black, hiding the stars’ details and describing how this priceless heritage is vanishing from people’s memories.
Metaphor used:
The 300 printed reproductions of our galaxy represent 300 countries of the world. Each image is altered proportionally to the percentage of the population that can not see the Milky Way anymore in the related country( the level of light under which the Milky Way is no longer visible is 688 μcd/m2). The spotlights of the stars start turning black more the country percentages increases. The loss of the details leaves space to a uniform and plain black sky. The result remembers the real empty sky that we usually see every night above our heads. The overview of all the receipts placed side by side creates a dark pattern. Somewhere the light of the Milky Way faintly emerges. This is the representation of how the collective memory of this wonder is fading away. It’s not a proportional translation of the stars visibility averages, but a visualization of how the Milky Way is vanishing from the people eyes.
Intended Meaning:
The users start collecting the printed images of the Milky Way. Initially, they won’t understand the real meaning of this gadget. The user compares the printed image full of details with his memory of the blank sky that actually he sees every night. Probably this mental image would be similar to the altered and faded images representing the Italian provinces. I would generate a consideration about the imminent loss of this priceless patrimony and a reflection on the low quality of the printed sky support: a little piece of paper destined to degrade himself like our memories of a starry sky.
Source:
https://www.aaas.org
