Silicon Valley Artist Wants to Capture the Sky

March 9, 2011— -- Digital cameras are everywhere these days, but is it possible to capture the entire sky? How about a series of digital photos stitched together that evolves over time with contributions from around the world? That's the essence of a new project from artist and blogger Drue Kataoka.

Kataoka dubbed it "One World Sky," and was initially inspired to create the work while speaking with Sarah Brown, wife of the former UK Prime Minister, Gordon Brown, and global patron of the White Ribbon Alliance, which fosters maternal health around the world.

Brown contributed the first photo, and the project continued to evolve when Kataoka spoke at this year's World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland.

"The sky is like a mother to us," says Kataoka. "From far away we can see how this thin blue layer embraces the earth, keeps it warm and protects us from cosmic rays. Yet we are polluting and mistreating it."

Site Launched on 100th International Women's Day

Superimposed on the images is a portrait of a woman's face while she gives birth. (Kataoka is a master Sumi-e brushstroke artist.) She says the woman's expression is meant to represent "a face filled with pain but also joy and optimism."

Kataoka says she hopes the project will raise awareness about the number of women dying during childbirth, which is the leading cause of death for women in some developing countries. She says the website was launched on March 8 to coincide with the 100th anniversary of International Women's Day.

"One World Sky is one big bridge, and a bridge is the anti-thesis of a border," says Kataoka.

Kataoka arranges the photos to get the best match for color and texture. She says that creates a unique relationship between different places in the world. An overlay on the site allows visitors to see where the photos originated.

Sky Canvas Creates New Global Map, Artist Says

"The sky canvas effectively creates a new global map," says Kataoka. "One where Stanford, California, is next to Alexandria, Egypt, and Chicago, Illinois, is next to a sky over the Greek island of Paros."

To contribute your own photo to the project, just visit the One World Sky website or submit it via e-mail: worldskyart@gmail.com.