Unit 9 | Space and Art

 For thousands of years, humans have used the sky as their canvas by merely connecting dots to create figures, which is now more commonly known as a constellation. Now with the development of technological advancements, artists alike are able to make out more of the mysterious sky above. 

The first piece comes from Chesley Bonestell. In each piece created by Bonestell, one can tell that he was not short of imagination. One of which seems to push human perspective outside of the box. It depicts a view from Mimas, one Saturn’s moons, as Saturn emerges across the horizon. Upon the surface of Mimas are possibly space colonizers, with little white suits and bubble shaped helmets. The clarity and attention to detail makes the piece appear as if it was a photo taken. His influence “helped popularize manned space travel” (Bonestell, About Section) throughout the mid-1900’s till his death in 1986.

“Saturn as seen from Mimas,” Chesley Bonestell

The next project comes from Richard Clar, which depicts an accurate representation of the Earth’s outer surface being over crowded with satellites. The piece is rightfully named “Collision II.” By “using data from this catalog (U.S. Space Command), and a super-computer, the Naval Research Laboratory in Washington, D.C,” (Clar, DP Art 2003 anglais) Clar is able to accurately paint the surface with the exact number of satellites floating above.

“Collision II,” Richard Clar

One project that took place in the vacuum of space is the “Cosmic Dancer,” by Arthur Woods. In 1993, the metallic figure was created to take note of the “properties of sculpture in weightlessness” (Woods, About Introduction). What was concluded was that it was able to spin on an invisible axis, allowing the viewer to see it 360 degrees around, as well as constantly changing the shape and seeing how the figure will evolve in zero gravity.

Another project comes from Richelle Gribble, named the “Biosphere 2.” Within the compound, the biosphere “contains a tropical forest, ocean, upper savanna, coastal fog desert, and human habitat” (Gribble, Biosphere 2). The intent to create this is to try and emulate Earth and its ecosystems when planetary travel becomes widely available. Coincidentally enough, the figure seems to bear a resemblance to Bonestell’s painting of humans living on other planets. 

One final piece that is widely known is the “Pillars of Creation,” taken by NASAs Hubble Telescope. This photograph is a testament to human capability of reaching parts of the universe our predecessors can only dream of. The Hubble Telescope captured the “Pillars of Creation,” which is a compilation of gases essential for creating stars, over “ 7,000 light-years from Earth” (NASA, Pillars of Creation). Without technological advancements and a curiosity for space, none of this beautiful art would have been thought to be created, and new advances are pushing the artistic boundary into space even further than before.

“Pillars of Creation,” NASA

Reading Citations

“Bonestell - About Chesley Bonestell.” Chesley Bonestell, www.bonestell.org/About-Chesley-Bonestell.aspx. 

“DP Art 2003 Anglais.” Http://Www.arttechnologies.com/Site-2005/PDF-Files/Press%20Release%20coll2.Pdf, www.arttechnologies.com/site-2005/PDF-files/Press%20Release%20coll2.pdf. 

“Cosmic Dancer - a Space Art Intervention by Arthur Woods.” Introduction: News : Arthur Woods : Cosmic Dancer, www.cosmicdancer.com/introduction.php. 

“Biosphere 2.” RICHELLE GRIBBLE, www.richellegribble.com/to-space-from-earth-1. 

Dunbar, Brian. “The Pillars of Creation.” NASA, NASA, 22 Feb. 2018, www.nasa.gov/image-feature/the-pillars-of-creation. 

Image Citation

Bonestell, Chesley. “Saturn as Seen from Mimas.” Https://Www.bonestell.org/UI/Images/Gallery/01c_SaturnSeenFromMimas.Jpg, 1943, www.bonestell.org/UI/Images/Gallery/01c_SaturnSeenFromMimas.jpg. 

“Pillars of Creation.” Https://Www.nasa.gov/Sites/Default/Files/Styles/full_width_feature/Public/Thumbnails/Image/pillars_of_creation.Jpg, 2018, www.nasa.gov/sites/default/files/styles/full_width_feature/public/thumbnails/image/pillars_of_creation.jpg. 

Clar, Richard. “Collision II.” Http://Www.orbit.zkm.de/Files/collision2-Small.jpg, 2003, www.orbit.zkm.de/files/collision2-small.jpg.