“To find freedom, without taking it from someone else”
– George Dyson
Yesterday I read an essay by Kenneth Brower, where he reflected about Freeman Dyson and his son George in the context of the discovery of a set of exoplanets in the Goldilocks zone. He had a lot to say, having written a whole book about Freeman and George (which I now want to read) a few decades ago.
I was struck by the quote attributed to a very young George Dyson – a mission statement for an imaginary society. It was beautiful. It resonated with me very strongly. I ached to be able to say the quote – to state George’s mission – in my own words. I still do.
On another facet of existence, I saw a Lego set “Tales of the Space Age”, which struck a chord with me and inspired me to create the animation that graces this article. I think this is the first animation I make; this might also be the first piece of visual art I create of my own volition in forever.
As always in life, things are multilayered: Space is a frontier full of resources we might use to enrich humanity, even all of earth if we’re prudent enough. Sitting down with yourself and some tools to produce a work of beauty – making art – is also reaching into a frontier full of resources we might use to enrich humanity, even all of earth if we’re prudent enough.
Art and me, we have always had a complicated relationship. It’s filled with ache and longing, with endless possibilities and the stress they bring to a restless mind. But I feel that changing a little bit. I’ve taken a few pictures (which I should host here, probably, instead of where they are), and now I made an animation.
“the shape of your soul changing” is a very curious sensation.