Chris Webster
Sep 3, 2018 · 1 min read

I’m only an amateur astronomer, but my objection to Orbital Reflector isn’t the piece itself, but rather the arrogance of asserting that an orbiting art installation somehow gives us an excuse to cast our eyes skyward. If people need a reason to look up at the night sky, there are already countless stars, planets, moons, galaxies, and nebulae; you’re really not adding anything new to that canvas.

As you yourself pointed out, space is littered with man-made detritus, so what makes O.R. unique in that regard? Clearly you’re less interested in sparking a conversation about surveillance or the militarization/commercializtion of space than driving a conversation about *you*. As works of art go, it’s about as intellectually dishonest as etching your initials 500km wide into the lunar regolith.

    Chris Webster

    Written by