First Touch of the Unknown

The painting First Touch of the Unknown is the grand finale of my Signals series. All the launching rockets and searching from the previous paintings led exactly here—we are floating above the surface of a newly discovered planet, at the destination of our long journey. It is here that the most important moment arrives: first contact.
I capture the second when our astronaut and an alien reach out to each other. Their gesture is my direct reference to Michelangelo’s Creation of Adam; this touch opens the door to a completely new reality and understanding. I created both figures from white tangram shapes as a symbol of purity and an absolute new beginning. With this piece, I conclude the entire series with both relief and wonder. It is a message that human curiosity and the courage to fly into the unknown ultimately do not lead to conflict, but to mutual connection.