SG[Egypt] and Our Giant Leap have partnered up for an artwork competition on the following themes: “lunar exploration”, “diversity in the space sector” and “space medicine”.
Three winners have been selected for their contributions and presented their artwork on Saturday, July 10th 2021 during a live artwork showcase during SG[Egypt]2021. Discover the winning entries and join us in congratulating these space artists!
Meet the artists and their artwork
KangSan Kim (Antonio Stark)
Antonio is a South Korean space policy consultant who currently serves as the Asia-Pacific Regional Partnerships Manager for SGAC. He specializes in technology infrastructure, especially AI/digitalization, sustainable development, and impact investment. He was an expedition member to the Arctic and the Himalayas, and lived in 7 countries and visited 40. He welcomes fellow space professionals and artists to collaborate and communicate with him on Instagram (@antoniofstark).
“The artwork celebrates the diversity of future astronauts. The astronaut is taking off her helmet after reaching a new world, with her hair flowing out between the gaps. The helmet visor is intentionally obscured, allowing the viewers to reflect their own images in there, regardless of ethnicity or skin color. The hair color not only includes the major hair colors found around the world but also includes “unnatural” hair colors that have, for many years, symbolized the LGBTQ+ movement. Taken together, the artwork talks about the diversity of people who will reach the stars and explore the worlds beyond.”
When informed about the competition’s result, Antonio said: “It’s incredibly exciting to be recognized for the second Our Giant Leap artwork competition co-hosted by SG[Egypt]. I’m most excited about the opportunity this competition represents for the future of the space community and the ideals we seek. This competition recognizes space as the final frontier for humankind, the next step for our journey into the cosmos, and the goal that can only achieved while celebrating the diversity that history has created. I’m honored to be able to contribute a little piece in this endeavor alongside my fellow artists recognized here.”
Comment(s) from the jury: “This painting made me jump out of my seat. The impressive design quality and bright colors/tones are what initially captivated me. The setting of the artwork, around 10-30 years into the future, was clearly evident in the sleek design of the spacesuit and the electronics on the helmet. In addition, when I read the text submitted I appreciated the hidden and brilliant message about diversity behind the artwork. This is definitely a masterpiece.”
Giancarlo Ponce
Giancarlo Ponce is a painter, born in Lima – Peru, June 11th, 1994. He has been working as an artist for three years now, and has exhibited his work in California, Paris, Barcelona and Lima. His paintings are based on Extraterrestrial life. Through the process, he plots a vision of other unknown realities, which may exist in some part of the infinite cosmos.
In his pictorial universe, mystery and curiosity are abundant, as well as the irrational and inexplicable. In his paintings he shows us strange bodies of unknown gravity and nature, which differs from the perspective of reality and life we know. The artist does not define his work as surreal, nor realistic, because you still don’t know exactly whether the beings he represents exist in the universe or not (@art.giancarlo_ponce).
“Personally, this painting represents something very profound to me.That eye in the middle of the canvas is the reflection of my consciousness. So many planets, natural satellites, stars, nebulae, galaxies. A whole universe to explore.
Mysterious creatures coexist in strange environments, where mystery and the unknown abound.
Some are curious, strange, and others feed themselves in a strange way.
On this planet abounds the biodiversity of life that we never imagined could exist.”
When informed about the competition’s result, Giancarlo said: “I am very proud to be amongst the winners and even more, from the other side of the world. This is a new experience for me, and for my artistic profession. Never imagined coming to Egypt. Thank you for giving me this space to share my work. Greetings from Lima, Peru.”
Comment(s) from the jury: “Amazing attention to detail in this painting, to me it is a beautiful representation of how all living beings of the universe come together as a whole.”
Karina Krulikovska
Karina Krulikovska is a medical student from Chernivtsi, Ukraine. She was born on 30th June, 2000. She recently ended her 4th year of university, and so far she’s been a member of the University Art Studio for 2 years. Usually her works are related to Medicine, human beings, diseases etc. but now she’s trying to represent new topics in her paintings.
Karina is a young, hard-working, ambitious artist, who still lacks experience and would never refuse to communicate with other talented persons and learn something new. (insta: @kr_ennn)
“With the beginning of the space age, the amount of knowledge about the moon has increased significantly. The composition of the lunar soil became known, scientists even received samples of it, and a map of the reverse side was drawn up.”
When informed about the competition’s result, Karina said: “At first I was like: ” Wow.. Is that a joke?” I was shaking and could not believe it. I mean, can someone not be happy because of such news? You can’t imagine how proud I am of myself.
It’s the first time I’ve ever received such a big opportunity, so I would definitely use it.”
Comment(s) from the jury: “Although the Earthrise view from the lunar surface is my all-time favorite, at first glance the image didn’t seem peculiar. However, when I looked closely at the color tones and the brilliant framing technique, depicted in the hatch, made me feel as if I’m on the lunar surface inside a lunar module looking at the Earth. Also, it shows how fragile life is that it needs to be contained inside the thick layers of the hatch and the suit. Adding to this, the view of the Earth creates the overview effect. That gave me goosebumps.”
About Our Giant Leap
Our Giant Leap is an SGAC recently created Project Group that aims at encouraging gender equality and diversity in the space sector. We offer a networking platform for the space sector to utilize in order to break stereotypes and embrace diversity for the full palette of opportunity and ingenuity that it presents.
This is the second call for artwork that the Our Giant Leap team is organizing: the first one being co-organized with the SpaceGen United organizing team. See here the winning outcomes.
About SG[Egypt]
SG[Egypt] is the first-ever SGAC event in Egypt and aims to advance Egypt into the new space economy. The event provides a platform for national and international stakeholders and experts to engage in discussions with Egypt’s most talented space youth. The discussions will focus on topics that are at the center of Egypt’s space strategy, such as lunar exploration, diversity in space, and space medicine. It will also explore strategies and policies to help Egypt ramp up capacity building, address diversity gaps by increasing representation of minorities in the space sector, and build indigenous space capabilities. Our team is committed to supporting capacity building, strengthening international cooperation with key stakeholders, raising public awareness, and engaging students and young professionals in SGAC’s space-related activities in Egypt.