Supersonic Echoes (Ode to Christine Darden)

Title | Supersonic Echoes (Ode to Christine Darden) Type | Original Gold Cyanotype
Inspiration | Chrsitine Darden
Year | 2024

Materials | Cyanotype, handmade paper, 24-carat gold leaf 15.2in frame diameter x 1.2in frame depth

Inspiration-

Inspired by pioneering American mathematician, data analyst, and aeronautical engineer Christine Darden. She played a crucial role at NASA in the field of supersonic flight and sonic boom minimization.

Born in 1942, she broke barriers as one of the first African-American women to work as an engineer at NASA's Langley Research Center. Over her 40-year career, Darden's research significantly advanced the understanding of aerodynamics and sonic booms, leading to quieter, more efficient aircraft.

Her work not only paved the way for future innovations in aviation but also inspired generations of women and minorities to pursue careers in STEM.

Series-
Women Who Changed The World
This series is a story of NASA’s African-American female mathematicians who played a crucial role in America’s space program—and whose contributions have been unheralded, until now.

A powerful, revelatory history essential to our understanding of race, discrimination, and achievement in modern America. Interweaving the rich history of scientific achievement and technological innovation with the intimate stories of these courageous, intelligent and determined women whose work forever changed the world—and whose lives show how out of one of America’s most painful histories came one of its proudest moments.

Technique-

Supersonic Echoes (Ode to Christine Darden) was created by constructing a hand-cut collage using

female photographic portraiture, illustrations of the lunar cycles, photographs of NASA rocket ships and a necklace and halo made of gold, NASA emblems and variations of sonic boom diagrams.

After coating the handmade paper with light-sensitive chemistry, it is left to dry in a dark room. The large-scale negative is contact printed onto the paper by exposure to daylight (UV rays). The print is then processed by thoroughly washing in water to remove any unexposed solution. It can then be hung to dry, developing to full density Prussian blue after 24 hours. Once the image is fixed it is hand finished with 24-carat gold leaf.

Dimensions

Framed: 15.2in frame diameter x 1.2in frame depth

Paper

Handmade recycled cotton rag paper:
320gsm / 100% Cotton Rag / Recycled / Acid Free / Medium Rough

Mount

We use float mounting for all of our framed cyanotypes. The artwork floats above a snow-white, Larson- Juhl 1400 microns (8001 white core mount board), to showcase the paper texture and deckled edging.

Framing

Framed artwork will arrive ready to hang. Each round picture frame is handmade by our London based design team. All frames come with gallery spec, 2mm thick Artglass AR70 / 3mm anti-reflective/ 79% UV protected glazing as standard.

If clients would like a bespoke frame, please let me know as I can have them made in alternative colours, gilding and glazing options.