Dimensions: image: 407 x 388 mm
Copyright: © Vija Celmins | CC-BY-NC-ND 4.0 DEED, Photo: Tate
Editor: This is Vija Celmins’ "December 1984," a print from the Tate Collection. It's a field of stars, incredibly detailed. What do you see in this piece, beyond the obvious? Curator: I see a reflection of the Cold War era, where the vastness of space became a new frontier, both scientifically and ideologically. Celmins offers a counterpoint to grandiose space exploration narratives. Editor: A counterpoint? How so? Curator: The seemingly objective representation of stars is, in fact, mediated. It's a print, a copy of a copy, emphasizing the distance between us and the cosmos, and the power of institutions in shaping our perception. It reminds me that the cosmos are a political space. Editor: That’s fascinating, it's more than just a picture of stars. Curator: Exactly! It's about how we frame and understand our place in the universe.
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December 1984 is a one-colour mezzotint print of a star-filled night sky in black ink on white Rives BFK paper. It was printed and published by Gemini G.E.L. (Graphic Editions Limited) in Los Angeles in an edition of twenty-five with eight artist’s proofs, in collaboration with the master printmaker Doris Simmelink. The copy held by ARTIST ROOMS is edition number 3/25, inscribed at the bottom left corner of the print, and signed by the artist at the bottom right in pencil. The art historian Susan Lambert has explained the mezzotint technique, which Celmins has utilised in numerous prints:
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