"Thomas Kellner spent more than ten years realizing his space project, and this yearning can be felt in his works. It is the age-old human yearning to capture the great unknown. "Allison Pappas, Houston Museum of Fine Arts

Studio Thomas Kellner: Deep Space 42

Art Day May 5, 2013

Exhibition May 4 - 12, 2013

Opening on May 3 at 7 pm in the Friedrichstrasse 42

In his exhibition Deep Space 42, the Siegen artist Thomas Kellner shows the impressive and unseen pictures of his trip to Houston, Texas, where he accompanied the astronaut Leland Melvin on his mission to the Space Station ISS. To discover there are selected motifs to NASA; including the launch of the Space Shuttle Atlantis in the direction of space, where Kellner was able to experience and photograph first-hand, and illustrations, sketches and designs from the Mission Control Center, where the vital communication with the crew took place. Under the motto "Houston, we've had a problem!", Kellner transforms his studio into an above-ground space station, in which he has to master several exciting missions, and introduces his eponymous, newly published photo book.

When refurbishing his studio in Friedrichstrasse, the advanced course art of the High School Stift Keppel plays an essential role by carrying out a space-filling installation of the ISS. Eight students (Isabell Eberling, Lara Griesing, Miriam Hein, Rebecka Kaufmann, Hanna Kox, Larissa Manderbach, Isabell Pazmann, Anna Petschovsky and Birte Weiss) present eight self-built modules, filled with objects, ideas, dreams, sounds, alien beings and strange encounters that take the visitor on a virtual journey into space. This action is coordinated by art educator dr. Jochen Dietrich.

Another highlight is the Siegen cartoonist Matthias Kringe, who contributes to the spacey ambience with his comic book Fun Wars and other cartoons. So he presents the inhabitants and visitors of the universe from a humorous perspective and not only gives the audience something to see, hear and flip through, but also launches an attack on the laughing muscles. A multifaceted program is planned for the ArtDay on May 5: from a surprising piece of music to the Alien bring with picnic to the biggest UFO meeting of Siegen; there is something for everybody. The musical program is the conductor of the Philharmonie Südwestfalen and director of the Collegium Musicum Siegen, Bruce Whitson. He is assisted by another 15 musicians, with whom he performs together the probably most unusual piece by the avant-garde composer John Cage: 4'33 ", the musical nothingness.Who would like to let off steam creatively on the subject of space, is then friendly invited, unknown flying objects in the rooms of the Friedrichstrasse are hung creative heads, UFO experts and fanatics and just anyone who does not want to miss this spectacular meeting is allowed is anything that is extraterrestrial original and fun, the imagination knows no bounds. At the end of the day, the annual silent auction is held, where eight works of art by Thomas Kellner can be bought, so visitors can take a piece of art home with them, so that this extraordinary spacey day will be remembered forever.