“No borders are seen from the space,” were the first words of Russian cosmonaut Sergey Kud-Sverchkov on the podium at the NCPA on a rainy September afternoon before he took the audience through a video montage on life at the International Space Station. From carrying out space exploration to conducting physical investigation of their own bodies and minds when out of the earth’s orbit, to having to exercise every day to retain muscle strength and the simple joys of savouring a fresh tomato once every few months, all the while navigating the lack of gravity—this fascinating interaction was part of BRICS Universe, an international exhibition celebrating space and photography with an aim to foster a dialogue on humanitarian cooperation among BRICS nations, which include Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa. 

The travelling exhibition was brought from Russia to Mumbai and was inaugurated at the Dilip Piramal Art Gallery by Chairman Mr. Khushroo N. Suntook and Kud-Sverchkov. It featured photographs of the UNESCO Creative Cities Network of the BRICS countries taken from the International Space Station by Kud-Sverchkov and his fellow cosmonaut and compatriot Ivan Vagner, and from the earth by photographers living in these cities. The official launch of BRICS Universe took place in February 2024 at the Museum of Cosmonautics in Moscow. The exhibition is supported by the Russian State Corporation for Space Activities, Roscosmos. Its next stop is Cape Town.

At the NCPA, Kud-Sverchkov gave visitors an insightful guided tour of Moscow, Rio de Janeiro, Cape Town, Beijing, Mumbai, Agra and other cities as seen from space and what the layout of their streets and their city lights say about each of them. “Mumbai, for the unique shape of the island city, is one of the easiest to recognise from 400 kilometres above. You simply cannot miss it,” he said, pointing out the location of the NCPA along the azure waters of the Arabian Sea in one of the photos. 

The NCPA has given its audiences many memorable moments of interaction with the greats of music, dance, theatre, literature, film, photography, even sports. Meeting an astronaut at one of its venues was perhaps a first but science and culture are not confined to silos here. There is art, after all, in looking at our planet from above and seeing beauty in its borderless expanse.