Cosmic Kite

Italo Calvino's book CosmicComics is an exaggerated form of the early stages of life but still has the ability to transform our imagination. The inspiration needed for this project is highly derived from the first short story of this anthology. The short story is entitled, "The Distance of the Moon", and is about a civilization of people who travel to the moon when the earth was closer to the moon at the beginning of our solar system.

The public art I propose is to fly two giant kites off of the cliff of Mount Bonnell in Austin. One represents the moon and the bigger kite will be the earth. They will have figures, representing people, branching off of them. The audience will be for everyone. The kites will be flown at night during a full moon that way we get the moon reflecting off its earlier self, along with the beautiful sway the wind will provide. Wind will not so much be an issue because when you are up as high as Mount Bonnell, there is always wind. They will be flown as high as possible, giving the air traffic controllers warning in advance so no one flying is disrupted by it. It will not be just a spur of the moment art project, there will be advertising for this event that way people in advance can get a good view from somewhere in the area or even better, rent a boat and go out into the lake below. The moon kite will be 10 ft high and 20 ft in diameter. The earth kite will 20 ft high and 40 ft in diameter. Each will be filled with hot air. Since the shapes are spherical, it will be hard to catch wind for them. They are then classified as kites but kytoon kites. This event will be great for all to view, it will be a reflection for all to wonder about and ask the bigger question, " Where do we come from?"

By Mathew Hernandez