Halley’s Comet

In 1985 the Director of the National Air & Space Museum art gallery contacted the artist and asked if he would consider making a painting for a special exhibition they were planning to mount to commemorate the fly-by of Halley’s Comet in 1986. The plan for the exhibit included artwork about the comet all through history, from Roman coins to medieval woodcut prints, but lacked the work of a contemporary artist. Pond’s concept for the piece was to incorporate imagery of modern technology since, for the first time in history, more people would be able to see the comet on television than with the naked eye. The piece was made site specific and was exhibited on a 2′ high base against a 30′ high wall. What is not shown in this photograph of the painting are the orange telescoping T.V. aerials that attached to the top of the piece and projected another 13′ up toward the ceiling for the installation.