Unit 9 - Space and Art

This week, we learned about the junction between outer space exploration and art. I was interested to watch these lectures and see how something that is so inherently "other" from us and how artists have interpreted space. As we have come to understand more and more about space, and new galaxies and possible universes are understood, artists' minds have also developed in how they understand space, and that has been an incredible transition to research. The lectures and videos covered a lot of topics in the intersection between space and artists, but a few particularly interested me.

I found the "Sputnik Moment" video to be really interesting, because it captured a moment in time where before, most of what the world could imagine or regularly thought about was confined to this earth, and after the "moment" the horizon of thought was expanded to include outer space and all the mysteries contained therein. As the space race between the US and USSR intensified, it pushed artists to create in that tension and artists on both sides used their artistic talents as propaganda for each country. The governments wanted artists to be creating interesting and beautiful pieces to show the public how exciting and dynamic space was in order to get public support behind new governmental programs like NASA.

Part of the Cosmic Dancer space/art project

Cosmic Dancer is a piece of space art that was created in 1993 by Arthur Woods, and "was the first three-dimensional artwork to be specifically conceived for and officially realized in a space habitat." (Forde 2010) Cosmic Dancer is pictured to the left and is a sculpture made of yellow aluminum tubing. The project was conceived to understand how sculpture would endure and exist in a weightless environment (like outer space), and to see how art could better be integrated into the human space program. I think that this pioneering project is really important for humans living in space, because it can be a relatively dull and monotonous experience, without many comforts that we take for granted on earth. I believe that art is a necessary outlet of life, and whether that is in creating or enjoying art, I think it must exist. Cosmic Dancer was used in concurrence with music to create a whimsical atmosphere and to enable the astronauts to live a healthier life in space.

An example of French zero-gravity art by Denis Darzacq

Another project that piqued my interest was Dancing on the Ceiling, which is an art collection focusing on the effects of a lack of gravity, and is curated by Kathleen Forde. It plays with the duality of heaviness and lightness, being tied to the ground and being free, and the theme of transcendence. The artworks were imaginative and enthralling, and I enjoyed how the artists ran with the theme of freedom and created a true sense of intangibility. The artists are attempting to escape gravity, and I was interested in this concept because it is something that is so ingrained in our lives and something that we can almost 100% count on being present on earth for the rest of our lives. Gravity, or the lack thereof, is a fascinating subject for an artist, and this collection is a shining example of how art can be created by examining the aspects of life we don't think about too much.

The last part that I wanted to touch on was Angelo Vermeulen's TED Talk, which was titled "How to go to space, without having to go to space." In the talk, he shares about his newest project, called Seeker, which challenges people all over the world to reimagine human cohabitation in small spaces, like space ships. I was interested to see how, when the project itself seeks to take away the restraints of earth, what people will come up with. I thought the three main concerns of the project, ecology, people, and technology, showed intelligence and forethought, and I can see how when these three elements are taken seriously many quality projects will be created. Overall, these beautiful creations may someday be used to actually go to space, and the work and research extended now to discover how to co-habitate well, re-use resources, and survive and thrive in space will prove useful.

Citations

Dunbar, Brian. "Frank Pietronigro: Zero-Gravity Space Artist." NASA. NASA, 02 Apr. 2013. Web. 28 May 2015.

Fenlon, Wesley. "How Sci-Fi Propaganda Art Influenced The US and Soviet Space Race." Tested. Tested, 3 Apr. 2013. Web. 30 May 2015.

Forde, Kathleen. "Dancing on the Ceiling: Art & Zero Gravity." Dancing on the Ceiling: Art & Zero Gravity Curated by Kathleen Forde : EMPAC Curtis R. Priem Experimental Media and Performing Arts Center : Troy, NY USA. Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, 2010. Web. 28 May 2015.

Forde, Kathleen. "Denis Darzacq : Dancing on the Ceiling." Denis Darzacq : Dancing on the Ceiling: Art & Zero Gravity Curated by Kathleen Forde : EMPAC Curtis R. Priem Experimental Media and Performing Arts Center : Troy, NY USA. EMPAC, n.d. Web. 28 May 2015.

Vermeulen, Angelo. "Angelo Vermeulen: How to Go to Space, without Having to Go to Space." YouTube. Ted Talks, 9 Feb. 2015. Web. 28 May 2015.

Vesna, Victoria. "8 Space Pt1 1280x720." YouTube. UC Online, 29 July 2013. Web. 28 May 2015.

Vesna, Victoria. "8 Space Pt2 1280x720." YouTube. UC Online, 29 July 2013. Web. 28 May 2015.

Woods, Arthur. "Cosmic Dancer." The Cosmic Dancer Project. The Cosmic Dancer Project, n.d. Web. 28 May 2015.

Woods, Arthur. "ARS Astronautica." ARS Astronautica: Space Artist Arthur Woods: - Cosmic Dancer Sculpture On The Mir: Space Art, Astronautical Art, Spaceart. ARS Astronautica, n.d. Web. 28 May 2015.