Year: 2022
Medium: silk screen print
Dimensions: 130 x 96 cm (51 1/8 x 37 3/4 in.)
Edition: No. 40 of 50 + 15 AP + 10 HC + 5 PP
Acquired from MAKI Gallery, 2022
This work features the astronaut motif, which is one of Kagan’s most signature series. It depicted Eugene Cernan, the commander of Apollo 17. Since his crew’s 1972 landing, no human has set foot on the surface of the moon again. The moon’s surface is a boundary where humans are not even allowed to exist without the protection of a spacesuit. Kagan’s work consistently pays homage to the predecessors who transcend the limits of humans. The way the shadows appear as if the moon has no atmosphere, and the countless footprints on the desolate world. The red bands on the astronaut’s elbows and knees are a sign showing that he is the captain, while in this work, they may also be a symbol of the great achievement of the moon landing. Even in the shadows, the only color in this monochrome world is still the sharp red. The title is thought to reference u from a passage in President J.F. Kennedy’s speech (the so-called “Moon Speech” in 1962) at the anniversary ceremony at Rice University, which provided NASA the site for a human spaceflight center.
