The 22-foot tall spaceman looks a little out of place in an Oslo port courtyard among the other smaller statues in the area.
I notice it from quite a distance away.
The statue has an aura, a powerful positivity surrounding it.
I rarely feel this kind of emotion with public art, so I approach it.
It’s a piece from Brendan Murphy’s Boonji Spaceman series, called “What’s Next”.
At first, it appears to be a giant spaceman statue covered in graffiti.
But on closer inspection, I discover that, with attention, I can discern phrases among the seeming clutter of words.
“Jump as high as you can”
“The future has not been written”
“Nobody’s listening…like nobody is”
“Are you ready to embrace the unknown?”
“Turn up the music”
“Be wild”
“Wonder and creativity”
“It’s not the fall that kills you, it’s the…” and then the last word is indecipherable and I must guess – landing? bounce?
The spaceman has one leg in motion, taking a step forward.
The title is appropriate.
I step into a nearby cafe in sight of the statue and ponder for myself – what next?
Yes, what next?
