To Mars to Explore (2022) marks the beginning of the Mars series, focusing on the serendipitous moment when the Curiosity rover captured a "selfie" on Mars, a moment that seems to blur the boundary between technology and self-awareness. Curiosity is a car-sized Mars rover designed to explore the Gale crater on Mars as part of NASA’s Mars Science Laboratory mission. On February 19, 2022, Curiosity’s Mast Camera (Mastcam) took an image of the rover itself on the Martian surface and sent the photo back to Earth. The image captured by the rover can be interpreted as a machine "selfie," inviting us to explore the absurdity of the current age and the possibilities of artificial intelligence. To Mars to Explore is a meditation on this unusual moment, sparking a conversation about the potential consciousness of machines. It not only examines their evolving role in our exploration of Mars but also delves into the essence of existence in a world where the boundaries between humans and machines are increasingly intertwined.

Q: Could you talk about the themes explored in your Mars series paintings?

Tan Mu: The Mars series is a body of work centered on images of Mars transmitted by robotic exploration. To Mars to Explore is the first painting in this series and belongs to the same conceptual framework as the three smaller Mars works I created in 2024. While the later paintings focus more closely on specific surface elements such as sand, rocks, and slopes, the series as a whole examines how technology extends human vision and enables us to observe and interpret distant planets.

Through these works, I am interested in how machines mediate our experience of extraterrestrial landscapes. The light, textures, and terrain of Mars are not encountered directly but reconstructed through technological imaging. To Mars to Explore leans toward personifying the rover itself and the spirit of exploration, while the later Mars paintings emphasize the landscape as an independent subject. Together, they reflect how technology allows us to see another world while simultaneously shaping how that world is perceived.

Q: To Mars to Explore is the first work in your Mars series, and its title comes from the lettering on the Curiosity rover. Can you talk about the inspiration behind this piece?

Tan Mu: This work was inspired by a self-portrait image taken by NASA’s Curiosity rover on Mars. The photograph was captured by the rover’s own camera and prominently features its robotic arm engraved with the words To Mars to Explore. I regularly visit NASA’s archive to study images of space and planetary exploration, and this particular image immediately stood out to me.

The photograph functions both as documentation and as a quiet declaration of purpose. Since landing on Mars in 2012, Curiosity has spent more than a decade navigating the planet’s surface, transmitting images and data related to geology, climate, and terrain. I approached this painting as a portrait, not only of a machine, but of a long-term mission shaped by endurance and curiosity. As the first oil painting in the Mars series, it sets the emotional and conceptual tone for the works that followed.

Q: How do you perceive the personification of the Curiosity rover?

Tan Mu: During the creative process, I naturally began to personify the Curiosity rover. I imagined its solitude and persistence as it operates in an unfamiliar and hostile environment. The visible wear on its wheels speaks to the physical cost of exploration, yet it continues its mission without pause. This endurance moved me deeply.

I see this painting as a portrait formed through self-documentation. The rover captures its own image, which is then viewed, studied, and even transformed into a painting by humans on Earth. I find this relationship compelling. If Curiosity could perceive that its images were being interpreted and reflected upon in this way, would that awareness carry meaning. By treating the rover as a subject rather than a tool, I explore the emotional projection humans place onto machines and the subtle bonds formed through technological exploration.

Q: Does the robotic arm in your painting symbolize a tension between control and exploration?

Tan Mu: Yes. The robotic arm represents the tension between human control and the unpredictability of exploration. Although rovers are operated remotely through advanced technology, many aspects of their missions remain uncertain, including environmental conditions and mechanical limitations. This contradiction highlights both the power and fragility of human ambition. Through this work, I aim to capture that balance between precision and vulnerability, control and discovery.

Q: Do you have other works related to extraterrestrial exploration?

Tan Mu: Yes. My work 3D-Printing House (2022) also addresses space exploration. It depicts a moment from a demonstration video showing a prototype for 3D-printed habitats designed for future Mars missions. The painting reflects how technology is being developed to support human presence beyond Earth.

Another related work is Stanford Torus (2020), which visualizes the scientific concept of a rotating space habitat designed to simulate gravity. This piece explores speculative futures of space colonization and the idea of constructing livable environments beyond our planet. Through these works, I reflect on humanity’s technological ambitions, our relationship with the cosmos, and the expanding horizon of exploration that extends far beyond Earth.