We bring space closer to earth

Space is full of amazing things, but at least for now, only a few of us have had the chance to experience it in person.

Space on Fire brings space and its secrets closer to earth. We combine Finnish expertise in experience design, wooden architecture and space technology to build an interactive art installation. We will send messages to space, receive data from space and turn it all into an immersive experience. As part of the project we will organize a number of spacey events in Helsinki, Finland and our Big Bang will take place at the Burning Man festival in Black Rock Desert, Nevada.

Space on Fire is much more than just one art installation. It is a process and a series of events. It is a new way of working together and sharing knowledge between people from different fields. It can be anything and everything you want it to be. Just join us, and come co-create!

The Space Dome

Space on Fire is all about the process of co-creation. It is an umbrella, under which the co-creators can share both their knowledge and their creativity.

The Big Bang of our project will be an immersive and interactive art installation. Our wooden dome, designed by professional architects, will be carved in Finland, from Finnish wood. The first dome will be built in Helsinki, and the second one in Black Rock Desert, Nevada, during the legendary Burning Man festival. Oh, and we will build it ourselves. Wanna join us?

The wooden dome will be enhanced with projection mapping and space technology. Our space engineers have designed a ground station, which will be used to contact a satellite orbiting the earth, and to send messages to the unknown. If you had the chance to send any message to space, what would you say?

Our artists will then turn the data received from space into an interactive, inter-galactic experience. Music, lights, images, emotions - what would your vision be?

Space on Fire can be anything and everything you imagine it to be.

The team

Space on Fire brings together young enthusiasts from various fields. Currently our team consists of architects, space engineers, business peeps, communication specialists, event organizers, artists, audio-visual superstars, musicians, two face painters and one nutty professor - and we welcome all new fields.

We all share the same goal: to bring space closer to people. We want to get there by working together, sharing knowledge, and co-creating.

Meet the team.

Ashes

A major part of this project has been concluded, as we burned our 120 square meter dome near Black Rock City in Nevada. As you can imagine, it will take us some time to sort through the material and gather ourselves, so expect to see more images and content soon. See some pictures below and check out our facbook page for updates as well.

Build

The Build

What looks like a beautiful image, actually pictures the harsh environment and a our team of volunteers who built the dome.

photo by Luc Asbury

Day

Day

The activities at the dome happened during the nights, but people found shelter from the hot sun during the days.

photo by Saara Alhopuro

Night

Night

At night the dome came alive with light and sound that that flows with signals captured from space by the antennas in the structure. A steel globe at the center contained a fire for warming the desert explorers who found their way to the dome.

photo by Tommi Mäntysalo

Burn

The Burn

photo by Saara Alhopuro

Esko

Our patron

The Patron of our project is a real Finnish superstar: astronomer and writer, Professor Esko Valtaoja.

His book Kotona Maailmankaikkeudessa (At Home in the Cosmos, 2001) won the Finlandia Prize for the best non-fiction work in 2002. This book, as well as Valtaoja’s other books, have the amazing ability to make complex scientific theories and ideas understandable to the general public. It is not surprising that he has become a popular guest at TV shows and seminars.

Professor Valtaoja is a true pioneer in what we are trying to do now: bringing space closer to earth. We are all over the moon to have his support!

Media

Contact details for media inquiries:
media@spaceonfire.com
Elina Koivisto / +358 40 353 8400
Saara Alhopuro / +358 40 529 1170


Resources: Previous Finnish projects in Burning Man:
2016: Koulu on Fire http://www.kouluonfire.com/
2015: Pike of Mana https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pjN3BKG0aP4