Lewis Andrews

The supernova series recreates the moment when a supergiant reaches the end of its life. These digital drawings document the moments immediately after the core collapses and the newly created elements within the core are blasted out into deep space to disperse and become part of the interstellar medium. A Type II supernova.

 

This process is where death and life meet. These newly created elements will eventually after millions or billions of years within the interstellar medium form new stars, solar systems, and planets. This is how our sun and solar system were created. However, for all of this to take place, a supergiant star must meet a violent, cataclysmic fate. This cycle has been repeating itself since the birth of the very first stars billions of years ago and still continues light-years away above our heads.

 

The drawings begin life as black ink on paper. Both materials, like most objects here on earth, are a combination of elements at an atomic level. Most, if not all, can be traced back to being created in the hearts of dying stars. The artwork establishes a bridge between the viewer on a more complex level than what first appears. Although not a real supernova visually, it is created using the remains of a dead star.