New Chapter in a Cosmic Art Series
The ongoing exploration of the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) through art reaches a new audience with the second installment of Unfolding the Universe. Following the 2022 NYC premiere, Ashley Zelinskie’s multi-media meditation on Webb’s gaze has traveled to Torch Gallery in Amsterdam, opening on September 6 and running through October 26. This phase, subtitled Wandering Through Time and Space, broadens the conversation from NASA’s discoveries to a clearer acknowledgment of the European Space Agency’s (ESA) vital role in the mission.
What’s New in Amsterdam
Audiences encounter a diverse body of Zelinskie’s work—sculpture, textiles, and a distinctive VR component—each echoing Webb-era imagery. Notable pieces reinterpret the Pillars of Creation and the Cat’s Paw Nebula, while gravitational lensing is explored in tactile and immersive forms. The show also features an ESA Webb VR experience and large-scale textiles created in collaboration with Out of Seam, inviting visitors to move between physical and virtual realms.
ESA, NASA, and CSA: A Global Partnership in Art
In Zelinskie’s hands, the Webb telescope becomes a lens not only for cosmic wonders but for international cooperation. The exhibit foregrounds ESA’s contributions alongside NASA and the Canadian Space Agency (CSA), underscoring how three agencies collaborated to deliver Webb’s unprecedented science. Zelinskie’s studio notes reveal a deliberate design choice: to map the collaboration into sculptural forms, textiles, and interactive experiences that make the science tangible for non-experts and seasoned space enthusiasts alike.
From Data to Form
Where possible, Zelinskie works directly from NASA’s archives—3D scans of nebulas and other Webb-era datasets—then translates them into physical objects. In Pillars of Creation, she layers star-studded scans with cartographic references to Webb’s L2 orbit, blending astronomical data with spatial orientation to reveal the telescope’s point of view. Gravitational Lensing bends a stellar field into arches, while Gravitational Waves renders interference as a tangible surface manipulated by human touch, a recurring motif in which galaxies become personified dancers.
Textiles, Technology, and Tactile Learning
The textile works, woven with high-resolution image analyses, push Webb’s imagery into new textures. Silk banners and robotic-loom cotton weavings use natural dyes and precise warp/weft variations to convey depth and motion—an homage to the lifecycle of nebulae. Laser-cut canvases offer quiet, code-like footnotes, reminding visitors that even our most intimate images of space are processed through mathematics and algorithms.
Why Amsterdam Makes Sense—and What’s Next
Amsterdam serves as a natural hub for this chapter: Torch Gallery has long supported Zelinskie, and the city’s audience is steeped in the dialogue between technology and contemporary art. The nearby ESTEC facility and ESA’s community provide a ready stage for talks and exchanges that deepen understanding of Webb’s international roots. The third chapter will pivot to Canada, focusing on the CSA’s role and introducing new copper-plated 3D-printed sculptures and a Canadian-centric VR experience, continuing Zelinskie’s goal of translating complex celestial science into accessible, walkable art.
Aims and Audience Takeaway
Beyond aesthetics, the exhibition aims to invite broader participation in space exploration. By weaving human narratives—risk, resilience, and wonder—into the language of nebulae and light, Zelinskie seeks to make the cosmos feel less distant. The collaboration with ESA voices on-site, alongside NASA perspectives, reinforces the message that Webb’s triumph is a story of international teamwork, curiosity, and shared discovery.
