Ascension (Over The High Line)

Augmented reality (AR)
Variable dimensions
2017

Richard Humann • Ascension installed over the High Line, New York City • 2019

In Ascension (Over the High Line), Richard Humann brings his augmented reality mythology to New York City, relocating the twelve imaginary constellations from his original Ascension installation to the urban landscape of the High Line. Originally presented during the 2017 Venice Biennale, Ascension creates an alternate universe within our own, using augmented reality to place a new system of constellations above the physical world. Through an augmented reality app on a smartphone or tablet, viewers can discover these figures suspended above one of New York’s most distinctive public spaces.

Throughout history, civilizations have looked to the heavens to find meaning, creating constellations from stories of gods, heroes, and mythical creatures. The Western constellation system draws heavily on ancient Greek mythology, preserving its characters in the night sky. Inspired by Joseph Campbell’s The Hero with a Thousand Faces, Humann reimagines this tradition through the people, events, and cultural forces that shaped the twentieth century. His constellations form a contemporary mythology, transforming modern history into a collection of symbolic figures whose stories reflect the ambitions, contradictions, and upheavals of their time.

The twelve constellations trace a broad cultural narrative, beginning with The Great Wars, which represents the devastation of the two world wars, and The Shining Suburb on the Hill, which evokes the promise of postwar American life. Other figures embody the rise of popular culture, technological innovation, political leadership, and exploration. Elvis Presley appears as The Blue Moon King, Marilyn Monroe as The Tragic Queen, and John F. Kennedy as The White Knight. The Beatles become The Four-Headed Monster, while Muhammad Ali is represented by The Butterfly Bee. The Brave Explorer celebrates the astronauts who carried humanity to the Moon, while The Princess Adored commemorates Princess Diana. The narrative continues through the digital revolution with The Silicon Prophet, representing Steve Jobs, before arriving at The Silver Tower, a symbolic response to the World Trade Center and the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001.

Each constellation combines recognizable cultural references with unexpected visual metaphors, distilling complex lives and historical events into imagined mythological forms. Together, they suggest that the icons of modern society occupy a role similar to that of the gods and heroes of antiquity. Their stories become part of a collective mythology through which we understand our history and define our cultural identity.

Relocated to the High Line, Ascension enters a setting shaped by New York’s industrial past, contemporary architecture, and everyday urban life. The elevated park offers a distinctive vantage point from which to encounter the imagined figures above the city, creating a dialogue between the familiar built environment and an invisible celestial world. The augmented reality experience allows viewers to see the landscape differently, overlaying a mythology of modern history onto the streets and buildings that surround them.

The title Ascension refers both to the elevation of these figures into the heavens and to humanity’s enduring desire to transcend its earthly limitations. Yet these modern icons are not presented simply as heroes to be celebrated. Their stories contain tragedy, contradiction, and unresolved consequences, reflecting a century marked by extraordinary achievements as well as devastating conflict.

By bringing Ascension to the High Line, Humann invites viewers to reconsider the relationship between history, place, and collective memory. The constellations become a contemporary pantheon suspended above the city, suggesting that the myths through which we understand ourselves are continually being created. In this alternate universe, the heroes and defining events of the twentieth century remain above us—not as distant relics, but as reminders of the forces that continue to shape our present and influence the future.

Richard Humann • Ascension (The Silver Tower) installed over the High Line, New York City • 2019

Richard Humann • Ascension (The Butterfly Bee) installed over the High Line, New York City • 2019

Richard Humann • Ascension (The Great Wars) installed over the High Line, New York City • 2019

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Photo credits: Richard Humann Studio