Cosmic Latte
Penny Walker-Keefe
10
March 2022
10
March
2022
1
April 2022
Gallery 1
In the early 2000s while studying the light from galaxies, astronomers found the average colour of the universe – it was beige. From a shortlist of cream-themed names including Astronomer Almond, Univeige and the incredible Primordial Clam Chowder, they chose the name Cosmic Latte.The naming of colours is important. Beige is a common synonym for blandness while ‘flesh’, ‘skin’ and ‘nude’ paint or crayon colours are often disproportionately Caucasian. Coffee has also been used as a metaphor for homogenisation before. In the ‘beige theory’ of race, globalisation would see all humans blend into the same ‘latte’ colour. But this theory is scientifically false – migration results in greater genetic diversity. Unlike paint, genes don’t blend. They rearrange.Cosmic Latte brings you beautiful astronomical nomenclature, inviting viewers into critical inquiry and highlighting the importance of scientific research, while quietly taking the piss out of vanilla Live, Laugh, Love culture.
Exhibition documented by Lucy Foster.
In the early 2000s while studying the light from galaxies, astronomers found the average colour of the universe – it was beige. From a shortlist of cream-themed names including Astronomer Almond, Univeige and the incredible Primordial Clam Chowder, they chose the name Cosmic Latte.The naming of colours is important. Beige is a common synonym for blandness while ‘flesh’, ‘skin’ and ‘nude’ paint or crayon colours are often disproportionately Caucasian. Coffee has also been used as a metaphor for homogenisation before. In the ‘beige theory’ of race, globalisation would see all humans blend into the same ‘latte’ colour. But this theory is scientifically false – migration results in greater genetic diversity. Unlike paint, genes don’t blend. They rearrange.Cosmic Latte brings you beautiful astronomical nomenclature, inviting viewers into critical inquiry and highlighting the importance of scientific research, while quietly taking the piss out of vanilla Live, Laugh, Love culture.