SPHERICAL ENCOUNTERS OF HUMAN RIGHTS: The planetarium cinema as a medium for non-western storytelling

Presentation theme: inclusion diversity equity accessibility

The 500th celebration of the first global circumnavigation (1519-1522), and the 100th year since the International Astronomical Union (IAU) divided the sky into an 88 constellation map (1912-2019) were brought together by Google Arts and Culture’s collaboration with the Elcano Foundation through an online website project entitled Different Cultures, Same Sky (website online). Further on, in 2024 we will celebrate the Centennial of the Planetarium. Thus, these major recent anniversaries coinciding with each other provide an opportunity to review them from the point of view of a conceptual framework where the social, cultural, and political value of the Anthropocene rises as a rapidly emerging narrative that needs to be explored. 

The apotheosis of the globe, global and globalized seems to grow ungainly with authoritative grandeur at our every breath. With continuous adjustments forced upon this model, under constant tension favored by industrialization, consumerism, political conflicts and anthropocene, the most basic human rights are abused and ignored time and time again, all over the world. Is there an alternative to the global view of the world? 

The presentation aims to demonstrate that opposed to the globe as object, symbol and iconography that mediates globalization, and places our view outside earth, the fulldome films designed for dome theatres and planetariums function as cultural interfaces for the spherical worldview. To interrupt this dominant imagination of the global is necessary to introduce a shifting discourse. As an alternative to our contemporary globalized sky and the totalistic Anthropocene discourses reviewing the unique visions embodied by Different Cultures will be analyzed through case studies of cinematic projects that are presented in the planetariums. By showcasing fulldome astronomical films such as Maori Legends from New Zealand (2014, 2016, 2019, 2020), Songlines: Tracking the Seven Sisters (2017), Legends of the Northern Sky (2019), Navajo Skies (2022), Sky Bridge – Ponte do Ceu (2022), etc., the presentation will demonstrate that Planetariums integrate the multiplicity and diversity of our contemporary societies and cultural representations, sustaining the human rights of the indigenous, marginal and minority.

Image © Arena Berlin