Jellyfish from Outer Space: Tentacular Creatures and Cosmic Responsibility in Environmental Art and Pop Culture

Abstract

Jellyfish from outer space appear in pop culture, scientific experiments and climate art, where they function as an expression of the tentacular and thus act as a key metaphor for ecological thinking and environmental responsibility. The tentacular is inextricably linked to the aesthetics of both the deep sea and outer space. It is a reflection on humanity’s entanglement with nature and a symbol of pressing climate issues that permeate every aspect of our lives. The jellyfish from outer space concept and trope raises questions about the idea of leaving a planet ravaged by humans to its own devices, and about the planet as something beautiful to be protected. Precisely because jellyfish are, in a sense, formless creatures, they are transitory figures that can liquefy an established nature-human relationship and transform it into something new. Space-themed jellyfish are fluid figures of thought in art and pop culture that transfer moral questions of climate justice and climate awareness to new environments and solidify complex theories through their concrete reference to sensual forms of life. Show more