TABOO - TRANSGRESSION - TRANSCENDENCE

Astrotop_X is a speculative new-media artwork that blends artistic imagination with scientific inquiry to challenge prevailing narratives of space colonization. Situated within a traveling laboratory xMobil, this work explores the interconnectedness of ecosystems through the lens of posthumanist thought, critiquing anthropocentric paradigms. The project foregrounds the agency of non-human entities—particularly plants—envisioning them as potential autonomous agents in cosmic exploration. This unconventional proposal transforms our perspective on identity, participation, and the aesthetics of interstellar futures.

Drawing on theoretical frameworks from Donna Haraway's "Chthulucene" and Rosi Braidotti's posthumanism, Astrotop_X interrogates entrenched ideas of human supremacy and reimagines the interface between artistic creativity and scientific practice. By incorporating a carefully selected ecosystem into a speculative space-travel capsule, the project reframes notions of power and adaptation, presenting alternatives to hierarchical relationships between humans and nature. It critiques the Nietzschean techno-escapism that underpins dystopian visions of space colonization, instead championing coexistence and ecological entanglement as the foundation for sustainable futures.

The capsule’s algorithmic analysis of exoplanet data underscores humanity's aspirations alongside its inherent vulnerabilities, raising essential questions about our evolving identity and collective belonging. The work challenges established conventions by suggesting that plants—adapted to extreme conditions such as the Karst ecosystem—might one day transcend human limitations. Ethical dilemmas surrounding ecological disruption and invasive species are also confronted, emphasizing the moral complexities of such a scenario.

In presenting this speculative trajectory, Astrotop_X illuminates ecological fragilities and pushes conceptual boundaries, inviting reflection on space exploration’s broader moral and ecological implications. Through its innovative synthesis of perspectives, the project gestures toward radical new possibilities for identity, agency, and the role of nature in shaping futures beyond Earth.