If this were one of those articles like "How do the actors look today...", the cosmic fetus from "2001: A Space Odyssey" would defy all our knowledge of space-time. And truth be told, it hasn't aged a single day! It looks immaculate, still unborn, just as we saw it in Stanley Kubrick's cult film. What's the secret of its eternal youth? Simple: it was a doll. And dolls, of course, do not age. What dolls can do is go on tour, showing themselves and amazing all of us who were inspired in some way by that 1968 masterpiece.
As many of us are still trying to decipher the ending of the film "2001: A Space Odyssey", one of its most iconic elements has been touring the world since 2003, just as seen in Kubrick's cult film. We're talking, of course, about the "Star Child," that cryptic fetus that appears at the climax, surrounded by planets, after the musical interlude of Richard Strauss. For those who don't remember or missed it, here's the video above as a reminder (spoilers!).
Following this wonderful ending, interpretations were left open. Kubrick himself has refused to explain what it means. It's true that reading the book by Arthur C. Clarke, on which the film is based, the symbolism becomes more evident. About the film, its director has said little.
Viewers are free to speculate at will about the philosophical and allegorical meaning of the film, which will indicate that a profound fascination has been achieved on the public, but it is not my desire to verbally map 2001, since in that case, viewers would feel obliged to find something specific and, if they did not, they would feel they are missing something.
The missing prop
Until a few years ago, the "Star Child" doll had been missing. From 1968 to 2003, to be precise, when it was discovered by the archivist of the German Film Museum, Bernd Eichhorn, in the director's mansion. Fortunately, time hadn't affected its complexion too much, except for small tape marks that were easily cleaned, maintaining its rosy immaculate charm. And that's how this small and enigmatic piece began to travel around the world as part of a traveling exhibition sponsored by the German Film Museum.
The archivists of the Deutsches Filmmuseum carefully stored the cosmic fetus.
The exhibition
Currently, "Star Child" is traveling the world as part of an exhibition dedicated to Stanley Kubrick and his film 2001. And while the fetus is one of the central pieces, it's not the only thing to admire. Along with the unborn, you'll have the opportunity to admire designs, set models, costumes, filming calendars, production materials, and archival photos, among many other things.
In the past, the exhibition has been presented in countries like Mexico, Canada, Italy, France, Brazil, and South Korea. At the time of writing, the exhibition had returned to its place of origin, the German Film Museum. But if you live in Spain, keep an eye out! From October 24, 2018, to March 31, 2019, it will be presented at the Centre de Cultura Contemporània de Barcelona (CCCB). Don't miss it!
If you live elsewhere in the world and want to witness these marvels with your own eyes, regularly visit the exhibition calendar on its official page. Who knows? With a bit of luck, you might come face to face with one of the most iconic pieces in the history of human filmmaking. While you wait, admire part of the exhibition on our pages. It's not the same, but it's something.
