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20

Andora (b. 1958), ‘The Death of the Cosmonaut’, Germany, 1992

Currency:EUR Category:Collectibles Start Price:2,000.00 EUR Estimated At:3,200.00 - 4,000.00 EUR
Andora (b. 1958), ‘The Death of the Cosmonaut’, Germany, 1992
Mixed media on space suit
Germany, 1992
Andora (b. 1958) – German artist, pop art painter and cosmonaut
Inscribed on the frame ‘Andora, “Der Tod des Kosmonauten”, Mischtechnik auf Raumanzug, 1992’
‘Insulation layer’ of the Orlan spacesuit, with art and framing by Andora
Manufacturer of the space suit: NPP Zvezda – Russian manufacturer of Life Support Systems for airplanes and manned space flight
Suit numbered ‘??? ??? ?????99 / ?g??g? / ??????? ? 10 ‚K‘ / PA3MEP N52-2 / ???? ??????? T-66 / CTIP’
Below numbered on a badge ‘??-5?5 / No. E3132 Y / ?Y‘
Total dimensions, framed: 154 x 118.7 x 8.6 cm (height x width x depth)
Good condition
Provenance: Collection Andora, Germany
A unique combination of an original cosmonaut space suit with pop art elements by the artist Andora

Andora was the first artist, who was commissioned by the Soviet space program to paint a rocket, which was then launched into space. This is an original cosmonaut space suit that Andora added artistic elements to in 1992. Andora sewed four round enamel badges, displaying his colorful pop art-inspired illustrations into the pipe openings of the suit.

This space suit is most probably an insulation layer of the Orlan spacesuit that was developed for extravehicular activities. A. Leonov was the first cosmonaut, who in 1965 accomplished the first ‘walk in space’. The four round openings that are responsible for the life support systems, are located at exactly the same spots as at the outer shell of the Orlan suit. The numberings on the label equally suggest the attribution with the legendary Orlan extravehicular suit.

The suit consists of a nylon cover that is filled with insulating foil to regulate the temperature inside the suit as there are differences in temperature of several hundred degrees between light and shade in space. The artwork is titled ‘The Death of the Cosmonaut’, which might be related to the extreme conditions that cosmonauts are exposed to in unprotected space.



The insulation suit is mounted inside a frame with a back that is inscribed in orange (illegible). The work is inscribed on the frame ‘Andora, “Der Tod des Kosmonauten”, Mischtechnik auf Raumanzug, 1992’. The suit is numbered inside on a label ‘??? ??? ?????99 / ?g??g? / ??????? ? 10 ‚K‘ / PA3MEP N52-2 / ???? ??????? T-66 / CTIP’. It is numbered below on a badge ‘??-5?5 / No. E3132 Y / ?Y‘. The insulation suit is in used condition. The frame displays traces of use, too; the inscription of the back is partly abraded and the back is wavy in the lower left. The total dimensions, including the frame, are 154 x 118.7 x 8.6 cm (height x width x depth).

Andora (b. 1958)

Grown up as Andreas Hoge in Berlin-East, in the course of his career the artist, pop art painter and cosmonaut put on the pseudonym Andora. Accused of preparing for the flight from the GDR, he was expatriated to Berlin-West. He studied social education from 1980 until 1984. Afterwards, he started creating his first paintings that were of neo-expressionist manner. Later, conceptual installations and video techniques succeeded. Andora left the traditional canvas as a painting surface in the 90s and entered the three-dimensional reality with his pictorial language of bizarre creatures of a comic-like world and painted everyday objects. He accepted various commissions by large corporations, for example by WEST. This culminated in painting a Russian Proton rocket, which was then shot into space. Today, Andora lives and works in Berlin.
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