Hyperspace Challenge utilizes the world of art to help tell complex stories of space

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (KRQE) – Telling the complex stories of space can be difficult and the business accelerator, Hyperspace Challenge is utilizing the world of art to share part of the story and how they are commissioning the work might surprise you.

An image is worth a thousands words, but in the case of project SOS, its worth thousands of objects orbiting hundreds of miles above Earth. Kelly Stafford is senior program manager at Hyperspace Challenge, a business accelerator founded in 2018 with a mission to build a bridge between private enterprise, academia, and governmental agencies working towards the next generation of space exploration.

For several years now, they’ve utilized the artistic talents of college student Madeline Ingram to create works that visually tell the complex stories of the final frontier. “We love the vibrancy. We love what she brings to it, what she brings to it. and we she’s graduating this year. So we were trying to think of ways that we could incorporate student artwork in our, work,” said Stafford.

Their solution? Take the creative challenge to high schools across New Mexico and see what they can come up with. Stafford and her team reached out to two high schools; Digital Arts & Technology Academy in Albuquerque and The New Mexico School for Arts in Santa Fe.

Working with faculty, they created a curriculum that would last a semester, giving students three subjects on which to create satellite necessity, the growing problem of space debris and collaborative solutions for the problem.

While combining math and art in Albuquerque, Nicholas Chiarella in Santa Fe, employed coding along with old-school mediums like photography and illustrations to bring the works to life. “At first, it sounded too foreign to them, I think. but as we’ve gotten in, they’ve really, embraced it and been able to to jump in,” said Chiarella.

The results, according to Stafford, were 80 entries. Some were digital prints, some 3D sculptures and some interactive works utilizing JavaScript. Ultimately, 13 winners were chosen, but as Stafford stresses the challenge is a win for all stakeholders involved. “It’s an opportunity for us to get them interested and excited. It’s also an opportunity to show that space and the field of space technology is not just for scientists. It’s not just for, mathematicians, artists. We need people from all different areas to, make space successful,” said Stafford.

Stafford said Hyperspace Challenge hasn’t planned future competitions, but the organization is interested in developing future relationships with student artists.