Video: A beautiful animation exploring the dreams of the first Briton in space
- Text by Ella Ackroyd
The first Briton to ever travel to space has had her intergalactic dreams animated in a beautiful hand-drawn short The Dreams of an Astronaut by London artist Andrew Khosravani.
Helen Sharman was selected for the space mission, live on TV, in 1989, after responding to a radio advertisement asking for applicants to become the first British astronaut. The mission was known as Project Juno, devised by the Soviet Union and Britain. Sharman was chosen for her extensive scientific background. One of her previous roles had been at Mars Incorporated dealing with the flavouring properties of chocolate.
The animation is a visual interpretation of an interview with Sharman as part of an online advent calendar ‘A Place Called Space’ for The Royal Institution, an organisation devoted to scientific education and research, based in London.
Each treat in the calendar will tie in with The Royal Institution’s famous CHRISTMAS LECTURES by Dr Kevin Fong, due to be broadcast on BBC Four over the festive period. Sharman’s interview recounts a dream about being back in space. She explains how it feels to look back at your home, what you see and what you miss. She says that initially you focus on the geography of Earth, but that it quickly becomes more personal. That you begin imagining the people and things close to you, that are back on Earth.
Each day, in the run up to Christmas, a new piece of content will be unveiled here, simply click on the box and enjoy your treat. The multimedia content will range from animations, illustrations, articles, video content and poetry, all exploring space travel as a human experience and analysing its role within our culture today.
You can see the advent calendar and more from the RI on their website.
You might like
A reading of the names of children killed in Gaza lasts over 18 hours
Choose Love — The vigil was held outside of the UK’s Houses of Parliament, with the likes of Steve Coogan, Chris O’Dowd, Nadhia Sawalha and Misan Harriman taking part.
Written by: Isaac Muk
Youth violence’s rise is deeply concerning, but mass hysteria doesn’t help
Safe — On Knife Crime Awareness Week, writer, podcaster and youth worker Ciaran Thapar reflects on the presence of violent content online, growing awareness about the need for action, and the two decades since Saul Dibb’s Bullet Boy.
Written by: Ciaran Thapar
James Massiah: “As much as the social contract is lost, there’s a freedom with that”
Bounty Law — With the release of his latest album, we sat down with the rapper-poet to chat about his new sonic Western, the boom in alternative poetry events, and whether the social contract is broken.
Written by: Isaac Muk
Meet the trans-led hairdressers providing London with gender-affirming trims
Open Out — Since being founded in 2011, the Hoxton salon has become a crucial space the city’s LGBTQ+ community. Hannah Bentley caught up with co-founder Greygory Vass to hear about its growth, breaking down barbering binaries, and the recent Supreme Court ruling.
Written by: Hannah Bentley
Why Katy Perry’s space flight was one giant flop for mankind
Galactic girlbossing — In a widely-panned, 11-minute trip to the edge of the earth’s atmosphere, the ‘Women’s World’ singer joined an all-female space crew in an expensive vanity advert for Jeff Bezos’ Blue Origin. Newsletter columnist Emma Garland explains its apocalypse indicating signs.
Written by: Emma Garland
The grit and glory of British toe wrestling
The Obsessives — Born out of a Derbyshire pub in the ’70s, the foot clenching sport has gradually built a cult following in rural England. Ginnia Cheng reported on toe wrestling’s London debut from a south Tottenham pub.
Written by: Ginnia Cheng
