The work of Ukrainian digital artist and digital fashion designer Mariya Ladan will be sent to the Moon as part of the international initiative BitBasel Space: Art for Impact. Mariya became the only artist from Ukraine whose work was selected to participate in this space mission.
BitBasel Space: Art for Impact
This is an international initiative implemented in partnership with GLPH Moon Mission. It unites artists from around the world around the UN Sustainable Development Goals (UNSDGs).
All selected artworks will be digitized and stored on a special digital medium, which will be placed on board the lunar lander Griffin-1, scheduled for launch in November 2025 as part of NASA’s CLPS program (Commercial Lunar Payload Services).
In 2025, the initiative is paying special attention to the theme "Life Below Water," focusing on the preservation of marine ecosystems.
Mariya’s work is titled The Drowning Titan. It visualizes the impact of ocean pollution on the planet through the image of a giant human head partially submerged in the ocean. This is a metaphor for how human civilization—with all its achievements—is drowning in the waste it has created.
According to the artist, the composition combines realism and surrealism, inviting the viewer to reflect on what lies beneath the surface—both in nature and culture.
To create the work, Mariya used Blender for 3D modeling and Photoshop for post-processing.
