On September 9, a new work of art was installed at the MAU - Museum of Urban Art at Taguspark - City of Knowledge, with the aim of paying homage to the first cosmonaut in human history, Yuri Gagarin. This piece, which marks the 60th anniversary of the first human space flight, consists of a bust of the cosmonaut next to the Vostok 1 rocket and can be visited in the Taguspark gardens.
Representing a symbol of the friendship between the peoples of Russia and Portugal, the bust of cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin was a gift from the International Charity Foundation "The Dialogue of Cultures - The United World" and the Embassy of the Russian Federation in Portugal.
The Vostok 1 ship, which is next to the bust, was born from the creative concept of Eduardo Baptista Correia, CEO of Taguspark, and Ana Figueiredo, from Infinity.
In response to some comments about the inclusion of the symbol of the USSR, the sickle and hammer (also associated with communism), Eduardo Baptista Correia, CEO of Taguspark - Cidade do Conhecimento, explains that "this work of art, which we are very proud of for its historical and cultural significance, is a tribute to the first human being in space and to this landmark event. For this reason, and because history must be respected, we decided to include the USSR flag next to the bust of Yuri Gagarin and the Vostok 1 rocket. At a time when many people want to erase facts from history, at Taguspark we are clearly showing respect for the preservation of history, so that we can learn from it and contribute to a better world. It is respect for the accuracy of history that has led us to place the internationally recognized logo as the symbol of communism in this piece in the urban art museum."
In the historical context, it was on April 12, 1961, that the Soviet Yuri Gagarin, aboard the Vostok 1 rocket and in the service of the USSR - Union of Soviet Socialist Republics, became the first human being to go into space. In a flight that lasted 1h48m, the cosmonaut circled planet Earth and was forever recorded in human history.
This work of art, which is part of an ecosystem with companies dedicated to aeronautics, such as ISQ and Instituto Superior Técnico, a university that trains aeronautical engineers, is installed in the gardens of Edifício Qualidade C, in Taguspark, Oeiras.
