Art-strology
A Journey Between Culture and Constellations
About
Art-strology: A Journey Between Culture and Constellations is an exhibition designed to offer a multidisciplinary experience that blends ancient art, astrology, and symbolism. Its main goal is to explore how different historical peoples perceived and interpreted the star constellations by identifying different shapes and symbols, based on their own mythology and cultures. We have selected a series of artifacts from four distinct cultures: Babylonian, Egyptian, Greek, and Chinese.
Each of these cultures were masters in astrology: the Babylonians created the earliest known star catalogue almanacs called MUL.APIN (Three Stars Each), the Greeks identified many constellations that are still recognized today, the Egyptians created the Dendera zodiac with thirty-six decans and extensive star charts of the night sky, and the Chinese constructed calendars with twenty-eight mansions, which are asterisms across the ecliptic belt of the celestial sphere.
As a result, constellations were incredibly important to these cultures and were closely linked with divine stories or figures. Consequently, many historical artworks with astronomical and mythological contexts were created. To reflect this, we have curated a collection in which every artifact is linked to the symbolism and mythology associated with constellations. The exhibition aims to create a bridge between these historical cultures, showing how similarly or differently they viewed the stars, how modern constellations were understood in ancient times, and how these ancient representations continue to influence today's conception of constellations.
Collection
For the exhibition; five artifacts from the Babylonian culture, five artifacts from the Egyptian culture, five artifacts from the Greek culture and four artifacts from the Chinese culture were selected, with careful attention to their symbolic meanings and connections. All artifacts are well representative of the artstyle and traditions of their country of origin, while also being linked to one another through their associations with the stars. A significant effort was put into comparing how these cultures interpreted the constellations and what kind of symbols were associated with them.
Have an all-inclusive look at the objects in our collection:
Non est ad astra mollis e terris via.
"There is no easy way from earth to the stars."
Narratives
Storytelling is a powerful tool to enhance experiences, by creating engaging narratives that link together different objects. In this exhibition, four different narratives have been constructed around the defining attributes of the objects in our collection.
Chronological is constructed for the artworks to be explored based on their geographical origins, with four different sub-narratives corresponding to each culture where the items originate.
Geographical narrative is constructed for the artworks to be explored based on their geographical origins, with four different sub-narratives corresponding to each culture where the items originate.
Constellations narrative offers a viewing experience based on the constellation each object is related to, allowing for the items to be visited in ten different sub-narratives.
Symbols narrative is focused on presenting the artifacts based on the symbolism in relation to the constellation or the myth being depicted in the item, providing eight different sub-narratives for each symbol.
This narrative is designed for the artifacts to be viewed in a historical timeline, ordering the items according to their date of creation.
Visit the artifacts in a chronological order!
Visit the artifacts in a chronological order!
This narrative is constructed for the artworks to be explored based on their geographical origins, with four different sub-narratives corresponding to each culture where the items originate.
Explore the different geographical roots of the objects!
This narrative offers a viewing experience based on the constellation each object is related to, allowing for the items to be visited in ten different sub-narratives.
Explore the different star constellations that inspired these artifacts!
This narrative is focused on presenting the artifacts based on the symbolism in relation to the constellation or the myth being depicted in the item, providing eight different sub-narratives for each symbol.
Explore the symbols represented in the artworks!
Be clearly aware of the stars and infinity on high.
Then life seems almost enchanted after all.
Explore
Find your way around the exhibition and the collection items by using our Interactive Map or see our items in time by following our Interactive Timeline!
