Space + Art

Ever since I was little, I was fascinated with space. I still remember watching live-streamed space launches and touring JPL as a little kid. Everything about space is so cool to me- the unknown. Even as a Political Science/Public Affairs major, I have found a way to intersect my interest in space with my courses. For instance, the space race and the competition between Russia and the United States to set foot on the moon have always been so interesting to me, so I wrote my senior thesis examining the current space competition between the U.S., Russia, and China in Africa and the Arctic. It was cool for Professor Vesna to recognize this competition as a collective sense of achievement that inspires artists to celebrate this triumph and human unity (Vesna Week 9 Lecture Part 4, 2023).

Lunar' short film an ode to the Space Race - SpaceFlight Insider

As Professor Vesna mentioned in lecture, it all began with Copernicus whose heliocentric model of the universe shattered the prevailing geocentric view, inspiring artists to incorporate celestial bodies into their works as symbols of wonder and enlightenment (Vesna Week 9 Lecture Part 1, 2023). 

What is the heliocentric model of the universe?

Today, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) has recognized the intrinsic relationship between space and art. NASA's telescopes and astronauts' cameras and satellites have captured super cool visuals of distant galaxies, nebulae, and celestial phenomena, allowing for a blending of disciplines and bridging the realms of science and art (NASA).

NASA's Webb Reveals Cosmic Cliffs, Glittering Landscape of Star Birth | NASA

Further, the influence of space on art has extended into the realm of popular culture, with movies like "The Jetsons," "ET," and "Lost in Space." These cinematic journeys into the unknown have inspired generations by fueling a fascination with space exploration and stimulating the imagination (Vesna Week 9 Lecture Part 6, 2023). ET still remains one of my favorite movies. I was ET for Halloween when I was 5!

11 must-see space movies for anyone serious about space - SpaceNews

I am fascinated by the intersection of space and art and it ability to provoke a sense of wonder, whether it's abstract interpretations of cosmic dancers, real space images, or star maps, space art allows me to think about the limitations of our own world and embrace the vastness of the universe (Richard Clar and Arthur Woods). I love the sense of curiosity it provokes. Though I am not a creative person, I am so interested in space and its ability to spark human curiosity and creativity, there really are limitless possibilities that lie beyond our Earth!

Cosmonaut Gennadi Manakov releasing the Cosmic Dancer

Works Cited

Loff, Sarah. “NASA Images.” NASA, 20 Jan. 2015, www.nasa.gov/multimedia/imagegallery/index.html.

“Richard Clar.” About the Artist RICHARD CLAR, Founder and President of Art Technologies, www.arttechnologies.com/site-2005/Gallery/gallerymain.html. Accessed 31 May 2023.

Woods, Arthur. “Cosmic Dancer - A Space Art Intervention by Arthur Woods.” The Cosmic Dancer Sculpture - a Spaceart Intervention on the Mir Space Station by Arthur Woods, www.cosmicdancer.com/. Accessed 31 May 2023.

Vesna, Victoria. Space+Art Week 9 Lecture Part 1, 2023.

Vesna, Victoria. Space+Art Week 9 Lecture Part 4, 2023.

Vesna, Victoria. Space+Art Week 9 Lecture Part 6, 2023.