Maria Gruzdeva | Direction—Space! | 24 February — 4 April 2010

«History of cosmonautics has a rich past: answering the question who was the first to go into space in the 1960s was followed by a number of amazing achievements: launching of automated space missions to different planets, first extra-vehicular activity, construction of International Space Station, Intercosmos space exploration programme. However, politics always left a negative trace on this humanist in its true sense idea: space race, arms race, the Cold War. But once you have entered that world, you understand that its not aggressive or inimical. Its ideals are pure. It is patriotic and international at the same time. People make it what it is: constructors, instructors, cosmonauts and their families, dynasties, who pass on their skills and values from one generation to another. Children play with toy-rockets and already know who they want to be when they grow up. Reticence and insularity explain the unity of this world: people exist as a tight community, a family, that works towards the same aim. It has what we have hopelessly lost — sincereness and faith. We should learn from their examples. Love for Space — is a form of love for their native Earth. Their aspiration and direction is into space. The air that they breath is filled with star dust. Once you have tried it, it’s difficult to forget. It happened to me: I became a part of this life, but was feeling sad in advance — I knew I was only a temporary guest there. This project is an attempt to show this unknown world to everyone else, as it is full of beauty.»
Masha Gruzdeva