My final year diploma piece is based on Sputnik and Laika, the first object and living creature in space, launched a couple of months apart in 1957 in USSR. Both met a tragic end, and because of that I wanted to create something that celebrates their contribution to space exploration with lighthearted humour and original design. As I drew my first illustrations, Laika and Sputnik evolved into two friends exploring space. 

During this time, I was going through a severe David Bowie obsession, and this was the soundtrack and subsequently the stylistic inspiration behind my designs, sparking my interest in 60’s and 70’s aesthetics, fashion, colours and surfaces. This neatly tied in with the Space Age movement that was unfolding at the time, but also made for a curious juxtaposition between the conventional Social Realism style in which Laika and Sputnik are usually depicted in Soviet art, and the psychedelic, groovy and ultra-bright Western pop art that inspired the look of this piece. 

The piece is sculpted in clay, moulded in silicone and cast in resin and fibreglass. After being filed and sanded, acrylic spray paint finish and high gloss were applied. I then enclosed the base into a steel frame and motorised it using a Parvalux induction AC motor, geared down to a 6/rpm speed. 

The duration of the project was 8 months. Special thanks to Martin at Wimbledon College of Arts, I couldn't have done it without you!

For a more technical account of the project please see the link below: