THE ATLAS FOLIO
Hemelliggaam or The Attempt To Be Here Now
VELA project gallery, 11th of June 2026, 6 pm
Until the 20th of June
The Atlas Folio represents the much anticipated large-format book forming part of Tommaso Fiscaletti and Nic Grobler’s project Hemeliggaam or The Attempt To Be Here Now.
More than a decade in the making, Hemelliggaam — Afrikaans for 'heavenly body' — is an archive of original photographs, video works, and installations exploring the profound links between humanity, astronomy, and the South African landscape.
Taking inspiration from the scientific atlases of the past, The Atlas Folio highlights numerous key photographs which have been taken during the project thus far. The book, custom-bound in a special edition of three, spans over a meter wide when open and supersedes the expectations for a book of its nature. Each page is printed giclée–with museum quality pigments on True Baryta paper–producing exhibition- ready prints with vast tonal range and depth.
Carefully hand-made, and individually printed, the book blurs the line between art-book and art-object. It marks the territories passed and maps the vast constellation of stories visited throughout this project in a format as unique and immersive as the archive itself.
Vela Project’s special presentation introduces the archive of Hemelliggaam or The Attempt To Be Here Now and allows The Atlas Folio to stand as the culmination of Fiscaletti and Grobler’s exceptional project of recording one of mankind’s most ambitious endeavours.
Please join us for a launch of the recently completed book on the 11th June at 6pm, where we look forward to sharing the book and special extracts from the archive.
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