Handcrafting in Zero Gravity: Reinventing the Spindle as An Artistic Intervention in Space Research

Abstract

This paper explores a methodological approach to art making in techno-scientific environments, by unfolding the conceptual framework and actual implementation of the art project Reinventing the Spindle. The research-based project explores ancient hand spinning and textile handcrafting methods in microgravity with the aim of highlighting weightlessness as a shared commodity and catalyzing critical discussions about the politics of space exploration and colonization. The act of researching marginalized knowledges in actual space research environments is conceived as a decolonial artistic strategy with a performative character. In line with this approach, this paper itself also becomes part of the art project. It reveals both technical and experiential details of experiments conducted on a parabolic flight, with the aim to inform potential researchers from different backgrounds and contribute to greater inclusivity in the field of space research.