Spaceship Earth (sculpture)

Spaceship Earth (sculpture)

Spaceship Earth is a 350,000 pound Brazilian blue quartzite sculpture created by Finnish American artist Eino. The sculpture, commissioned by Brian Maxwell, of Powerbar the Maxwell Family Foundation for the late environmentalist David Brower and its name was often used by Brower referring to mankind traveling through life in a common vehicle. Today the sculpture is location at Kennesaw State University adjacent to the Social Science building, the first LEED certified building the University System of Georgia.

The 175-ton chunk of rock was formed from 88 individual pieces of quartzite and bonded with specially made polyepoxide. After these pieces were in place Eino attached a life-size bronze model of the late Brower. Additionally, 2,400 bronze pieces were added to the exterior to outline land masses on the earth.

Spaceship Earth was completed in August 2006 and unveiled in October. In an unexpected turn of events the massive sculpture broke apart and spilling over just two months later. First reports cited poor adhesive and unsound construction contributed to its demise while Eino argued that it had to have been an act of vandalism. The sculpture was rededicated in November 2006.