GOSHKA MACUGA
Goshka Macuga’s sculpture takes influence from the status check of space missions (go/no go testing referring to a pass/fail test principle) before a rocket launch can proceed. It feels as though we are at the end of an era post-covid, but also at the beginning of a new one; a possible take-off fuelled by uncertainty.
GO NO GO symbolizes the twofold relationship we have towards each other, our planet at large, or even our neighboring countries. ‘To leave or to stay’ can be extended from the Brexit slogans we have heard in recent years into binary oppositions as a fundamental organizer of our culture. The rocket visualizes the dilemmas we are facing – it embodies fantasy and our reality, our aspiration, and our failure.
Macuga challenges the notion of how we use public space, specifically Trafalgar Square by extending this project onto a digital platform (gonogo.space) in order to create a space for public engagement, collaboration, and social-political activation. The surface of the rocket literally reflects its surroundings, and in turn, will create a metaphorical reflection on the history of the square.