Installations

On the Logic of Dubious Historical Accounts, 1969-1972
Alexander Stewart and Peter Miller
16mm transferred to HD
10:00
2007

On the Logic of Dubious Historical Accounts, 1969-1972 is a short film showing Hasselblad cameras falling through space and hitting the surface of the moon. This piece lies somewhere at the intersection of forged documentation, camera fetishism, and questionable histories.

On each of the Apollo moon missions, NASA astronauts brought along Hasselblad 500 cameras to take pictures. These cameras and their Zeiss lenses remained for many years as the gold standard for fashion photographers, and embody optical and mechanical perfection. Though expensive and highly prized, the cameras brought by NASA to the moon were left behind by the astronauts in order to cut down on weight for the return trip to earth. Supposedly, twelve Hasselblad 500 cameras remain on the moon.

Stanley Kubrick, who directed a moon landing in 1968's 2001, is thought to have also directed the Neil Armstrong moon landing in 1969 in exchange for a Zeiss lens from NASA to use in Barry Lyndon. Since Kubrick's film documents the astronauts and the lunar lander, our film is only concerned with creating documentation for the Hasselblad cameras on the moon. This film recreates the descent of the Hasselblad cameras from the hand of the astronaut to the surface of the moon.

From the High Impact show review in Time Out Chicago:

"...Alexander Stewart and Peter Miller’s silent, haunting 16mm film, On the Logic of Dubious Historical Accounts, 1969–1972. The digitally projected film’s abraded quality, blue tint, dusty detritus and subject matter—cameras slowly falling in space—are meant to evoke footage of the 1969 Apollo moon landing. According to the artists, astronauts brought 12 high-quality Hasselblad cameras to photograph the moon and Earth. To economize on weight for the return to Earth, the cameras were left on the moon, where they remain today. The film re-creates the disposal of the cameras, which the artists portray gently falling in the low gravity of the moon and impacting the lunar surface. For some viewers, the ease with which the artists were able to re-create the look of a low-gravity environment might bolster claims that the moon landing was faked. For others, the image of a boxy camera falling and twisting in space and the delicate, scratchy patina of the 16mm film are resonant enough." —James Glisson

This project also involves a series of four photo prints of the falling Hasselblads. The images were shot with a second Hasselblad, and printed 11" x 11". Duchess gallery included the prints in a selection of work that they exhibited at The AFFAIR art show, which took place Sept. 14-16 at the Jupiter hotel in Portland, OR. Each of the four prints are in an edition of three.

On the Logic of Dubious Historical Accounts, 1969-1972 (#s 1-4)
Alexander Stewart and Peter Miller
C-prints
11"x11"
Each print in an edition of three
2007



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		*On the Logic of Dubious Historical Accounts, 1969-1972* Alexander Stewart and Peter Miller 16mm transferred to HD 10:00 2007 On the Logic of Dubious Historical Accounts, 1969-1972 is a short film showing Hasselblad cameras falling through space and hitting the surface of the moon. This piece lies somewhere at the intersection of forged documentation, camera fetishism, and questionable histories. On each of the Apollo moon missions, NASA astronauts brought along Hasselblad 500 cameras to take pictures. These cameras and their Zeiss lenses remained for many years as the gold standard for fashion photographers, and embody optical and mechanical perfection. Though expensive and highly prized, the cameras brought by NASA to the moon were left behind by the astronauts in order to cut down on weight for the return trip to earth. Supposedly, twelve Hasselblad 500 cameras remain on the moon. Stanley Kubrick, who directed a moon landing in 1968's 2001, is thought to have also directed the Neil Armstrong moon landing in 1969 in exchange for a Zeiss lens from NASA to use in Barry Lyndon. Since Kubrick's film documents the astronauts and the lunar lander, our film is only concerned with creating documentation for the Hasselblad cameras on the moon. This film recreates the descent of the Hasselblad cameras from the hand of the astronaut to the surface of the moon. From the High Impact show review in Time Out Chicago: "...Alexander Stewart and Peter Miller’s silent, haunting 16mm film, On the Logic of Dubious Historical Accounts, 1969–1972. The digitally projected film’s abraded quality, blue tint, dusty detritus and subject matter—cameras slowly falling in space—are meant to evoke footage of the 1969 Apollo moon landing. According to the artists, astronauts brought 12 high-quality Hasselblad cameras to photograph the moon and Earth. To economize on weight for the return to Earth, the cameras were left on the moon, where they remain today. The film re-creates the disposal of the cameras, which the artists portray gently falling in the low gravity of the moon and impacting the lunar surface. For some viewers, the ease with which the artists were able to re-create the look of a low-gravity environment might bolster claims that the moon landing was faked. For others, the image of a boxy camera falling and twisting in space and the delicate, scratchy patina of the 16mm film are resonant enough." —James Glisson This project also involves a series of four photo prints of the falling Hasselblads. The images were shot with a second Hasselblad, and printed 11" x 11". Duchess gallery included the prints in a selection of work that they exhibited at The AFFAIR art show, which took place Sept. 14-16 at the Jupiter hotel in Portland, OR. Each of the four prints are in an edition of three. On the Logic of Dubious Historical Accounts, 1969-1972 (#s 1-4) Alexander Stewart and Peter Miller C-prints 11"x11" Each print in an edition of three 2007

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