Impossible Object

‘Impossible Object’ is a sculpture made of liquid water. The liquid’s three-dimensional form does not get its shape from any vessel and as such cannot exist on earth, but only in Outer Space in the absence of gravity. The sculpture is built as a composition of brass rods and tubes, through which water flows. With no gravitation to direct the water downwards, the water adheres to the sculpture’s metal structure, forming a dynamic three-dimensional liquid composition, shaped by water’s surface tension forces and its tendency to cling to structures due to adhesion forces.
The sculpture’s composition of rods and tubes resembles a wavy staircase that has no directionality. The work questions shape and form. In the absence of gravitation, what is the shape of a piece of sea or a handful of a wave?

‘Impossible Object’ was activated and documented on the International Space Station (ISS) by astronaut Eitan Stibe during mission AX-1, April 2022, as part of Rakia Art Mission. Axiom Mission 1 (Ax-1) was the first private astronaut mission on the ISS.
As space tourism becomes tangible and no longer focuses solely on technological and scientific goals, Segal and Meroz reflect on the place of culture and arts in our lives, on Earth and beyond.

‘Impossible Object’ is a research-based artwork, where micro-gravity physics is the medium.

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The work ‘Impossible Object’ was supported by:
Mifal Hapais
Asylum Arts
European Union's Horizon 2020 Research and Innovation Program (GrowBot)
The George S. Wise Faculty of Life Science, Tel Aviv University

Videos and images onboard the ISS were taken by Eitan Stibbe, as part of Rakia Art Mission (Ramon Foundation). Rakia Art Mission curator: Udi Edelman.