The Reentry Series uses multiple synthetic meteors to produce luminous, ephemeral drawings in the upper atmosphere. These drawings will persist for only tens of seconds, minutes at most. The fact that these are deliberate drawings and not naturally occurring events will be inescapable. The works mimic naturally occurring meteors, with their complex cultural associations of religious import as signs or omens and demonstrate that these events can be synthesized and manipulated at will. The series employs the physics of atmospheric reentry of man-made objects, a source of accidental mark making since the dawn of the space age. By imposing a palpable consciousness and rigor to this previously indavertent mark making, these works enhance our awareness of the extent of human impact on the environment. The Reeentry works are intended to be mounted in the skies over major cities, where they can be witnessed by large numbers of people.

The realization of the Reentry Series will involve unprecedented interdisciplinary collaboration between art and science. Artist Bill Dolson will work in close collaboration with Dr. Peter Jenniskens, noted Meteor Astronomer, who will act as Chief Scientist for the project, assisting with the design of the synthetic meteors and delivery techniques. If the project evolves as anticipated Dr. Jenniskens will also conduct scientific research on the behavior of the synthetic meteors in conjunction with his work at The SETI Institute on the importance of meteors to the origins of life on earth.

Bill Dolson Studies for Synthetic Meteors V1.2 2005 still from HD video

Heaven & Earth Foundation

The Reentry Series is the Debut Project of Heaven & Earth Foundation, a non-profit corporation formed to help promote, develop, realize, and document large scale, non-persistent, public art projects. The Reentry Series is one of several proposed series of dynamic environmental works which involve the synthesis and dynamic use of otherwise naturally occurring, very large scale, time dependent visual phenomena. The works are land art on a mega scale, exposing the degree to which we have altered and have the ability to further alter our environment.

Heaven & Earth Foundation was formed by Bill Dolson in June, 2005. He was immediately joined in the effort by Blackhawk [Peter von Brandenburg] as co-director of the Foundation. The Foundation is actively searching for additional directors as well as individuals with specific needed expertise to serve on project-specific inter-disciplinary advisory panels.

Heaven & Earth Foundation is a non-profit corporation in the state of New Mexico and has applied for status as a 501(c)(3) entity with the IRS.

Heaven & Earth Foundation - 71 County Road AO27 - Estancia, NM, 87016 - 505.384.0630 505.384.0632 fax - info@hefdn.org - http://www.heaven-and-earth-foundation.org