6 Degrees Of Carl Sagan
The Sunday Age
Sunday September 14, 2008
6 DEGREES OF CARL SAGAN
The Projects, 169 Johnston St, Collingwood. Tel: 9415 7459. Until Sep 20, Tue-Sat 11am-5pmCarl Sagan was a serious dude. An American astronomer and exobiology pioneer, he promoted the Search for Extra-Terrestrial Intelligence (SETI). Nick Waddell continues Sagan's work here, exhibiting heretofore unseen artefacts that suggest aliens have been hanging around since (at least) the birth of Elvis. Where Sagan got caught up pressing his corduroy jackets and polishing his teeth, Waddell is unafraid to wade right in with handwritten captions. His is an urgent, humanitarian mission. Revealing the true identity of The King, Waddell includes substantive evidence: "Note the timeline, Roswell ... Elvis. Roswelvis!" There is a working Portable Transmitting Binary Inscription Device and a deep space transmitter, which (unlike its fictional derivation, the light sabre) plays the theme from Beverly Hills Cop. If I were not a serious scientist, I would say I love this show because the hilarity comes almost inadvertently from an earnest catalogue of unlikely objects. But since I am, I say it's not funny.
© 2008 The Sunday Age
