Digital Photo
In July 2013, I made 100 post-card sized drawings (15.2 x 20.3 cm) of the landscape while travelling faster than the speed of sound in an RCAF CF-18 “Hornet” fighter jet plane.
Digital Photo
In July 2013, I made 100 post-card sized drawings (15.2 x 20.3 cm) of the landscape while travelling faster than the speed of sound in an RCAF CF-18 “Hornet” fighter jet plane.
Graphite on Watercolour, 6”x8” (15.2x20.3cm)
One of the drawings that I created in the fighter plane while traveling faster than the speed of sound.
Acrylic on Canvas, 10" x 20" (3 x 6 meters)
This large bus-sized painting is based on the drawings I made in the fighter plane.
Installation Photo
Sculptures and paintings based on my supersonic flight, installed at the Kamloops Art Gallery, Kamloops, BC. Over the course of two months, I built the large airplane sculpture in the gallery, interacting with families and visitors, with some people even assisting me and donating wood. Viewers were invited to go inside the cockpit and be immersed in disorienting artwork.
Oil on Canvas, 21”x28.5” (53 x 72 cm)
I made a series of smaller “Speedscape” paintings based on the cloud formations that I saw while traveling at super-sonic speeds.
In July 2013, Canadian Artist Michael Markowsky became the first person to make art while travelling at faster than the speed of sound. During his 1.5-hour super sonic flight, Markowsky made 100 drawings of the landscape while flying in a Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) CF-18 Hornet fighter jet plane, Canada's most sophisticated front-line combat aircraft.
This opportunity came as a result of Markowsky's involvement (as a civilian) in the Canadian Forces Artists Program, often referred to as the 'War Artist' program.
Over 40 hours of HD video was shot on Black Magic, Canon EOS 5D Mark III and GoPro Hero3 Black Edition Digital Cameras by Cinematographers Oliver McGarvey (http://roverfilms.com) and Tom Gunia (https://vimeo.com/tomgunia)
The resulting 30-minute documentary entitled "Markowsky Draws in a Fighter Plane" by critically-acclaimed Director Michael Peterson was released in May 2015, and was a FINALST for the "BEST OF ALBERTA" AWARD at the Calgary International Film Festival, 2015.
Sound Designer Brad Belcher (theforgeaudio.com) was nominated for a Rosie Award for BEST OVERALL SOUND (NON-FICTION OVER 30 MINUTES) for the documentary!
Film Poster
“Markowsky Draws in a Fighter Plane” is a 30-minute documentary film directed by Michael Peterson, released in 2015. It follows artist Michael Markowsky before, during and after he makes drawings while flying in an F-18. It features spectacular footage from inside the cockpit while he breaks the sound barrier.
IMDB page for the “Markowsky Draws in a Fighter Plane”: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt4347930/
About Director Michael Peterson: Michael is an award-winning filmmaker from Calgary, Alberta, Canada. He is most well known as the director of the films Knuckleball (2018) and Lloyd the Conqueror (2011).
He's written, directed and produced short films, music videos, commercials, documentary and feature films. He graduated the Canadian Film Centre's Directors Lab in 2013. His films have appeared across the world in over 75 film festivals. He did his undergrad at York University (Communications Studies and Humanities) and his M.Arts, focusing on documentary films, at The University of North Carolina - Chapel Hill. He started out as a writer and making documentary film and moved into making scripted shortly after.
Video Still
”Markowsky Draws in a Fighter Plane” Director Mike Peterson (left) and Michael Markowsky on Global TV News talking about the production of the film (December 28, 2013).
Digital Photo
Michael Markowsky photographed with Global Visions Film Festival (now the NORTH WEST FEST) volunteer Caroline who shared a very personal connection to our film Markowsky Draws in a Fighter Plane. She said it helped her to finally understand what her late-husband experienced as a fighter pilot in the Korean War. (May 2015 at the Royal Alberta Museum).