In 2018, artist Tavares Strachan launched a 3U satellite into space for a three-year orbit around the sun, an act of scientific exploration. This project is one facet of his boundary-pushing practice now being surveyed in his first major monograph.
Strachan's work involves immense, often inaccessible scientific and historical research. Yet, its output is designed to be broadly engaging, challenging conventional notions of art.
This monograph will likely serve not just as a retrospective, but as a critical re-evaluation of how art can intersect with science, history, and public engagement, potentially influencing future interdisciplinary artistic practices.
The Explorer-Artist: Beyond the Gallery Walls
Tavares Strachan's commitment to experiential research knows no bounds. In 2018, he founded the Bahamas Aerospace and Sea Exploration Center (BASEC) and launched a 3U satellite into a three-year solar orbit, Colossal reports. His audacious feats extend beyond, including walking to the North Pole, training as an astronaut in Russia, and launching a sugarcane-fuelled rocket, according to theguardian. Such endeavors redefine the very concept of an artist's studio or medium, often culminating in powerful public displays.
Reclaiming Narratives and Engaging the Public
Strachan actively reclaims forgotten histories. In 2018, he compiled a 2,400-page volume with 15,000 entries on individuals and events omitted from the Encyclopedia Britannica, Colossal notes. This exhaustive historical reclamation meets the public in striking ways. A large-scale model of the Yarmouth, Marcus Garvey's WWI collier, floats in a gallery pool, according to theguardian. A neon sign on the Hayward Gallery's exterior boldly proclaims 'You belong here', theguardian reports. Through these works, Strachan doesn't merely document omitted narratives; he demands their inclusion, forging an expansive definition of belonging within art and knowledge.
