WEEK 9: SPACE AND ART
Having discussed almost all the important fields for the future such as robotics and nanotechnology, it only seems apt that we discussed the relation between space and art. Space exploration is a field that is expected to grow immensely in the coming years, and art will play a crucial role in this growth, as it has in other fields.
It is fascinating to see how important art was to inspire space exploration. The artist, Chesley Bonestell, was one of the important figures who helped popularize manned space travel. He published paintings in popular magazines such as “Saturn as seen from Titan”, as well as writing books such as “The Conquest of Space” and creating special effects painting for movies like “War of the Worlds”. His work, along with the work of other artists, writers and scientists generated the national interest in space in the US.
Artists are continuing to lead the lines with more ideas. For example, an idea published in a science fiction work by Arthur C Clarke, called the space elevator is actually being considered as an efficient way to transport people and payloads into space. The idea is that we use a giant cable which is held in place by Earth’s rotation to transport material to space, instead of the current mode of using rockets, which according a BBC article could be considered “outdated”. Although we are still far from achieving this goal, efforts are being put to make this a reality.
Finally, as we have learned this quarter art and science inspire each other. Inspired by his interest in gravitational force, Arthur Woods, has created artwork that questions the concept of “up and down”. He believes that it is gravity, which allows us to define which way, is up, thus he created artwork, which can be mounted on the wall in any position, as it does not prescribe to any specific orientation. His work is truly enlightening as it brings up an often-overlooked point that the concept of up and down is not natural and is just a human invention for our convenience.
Space exploration is still in its infancy, and there are still many fascinations out there to be discovered by humans. It will be exciting to see the progress that will be made in the next few decades.
It is fascinating to see how important art was to inspire space exploration. The artist, Chesley Bonestell, was one of the important figures who helped popularize manned space travel. He published paintings in popular magazines such as “Saturn as seen from Titan”, as well as writing books such as “The Conquest of Space” and creating special effects painting for movies like “War of the Worlds”. His work, along with the work of other artists, writers and scientists generated the national interest in space in the US.
Artists are continuing to lead the lines with more ideas. For example, an idea published in a science fiction work by Arthur C Clarke, called the space elevator is actually being considered as an efficient way to transport people and payloads into space. The idea is that we use a giant cable which is held in place by Earth’s rotation to transport material to space, instead of the current mode of using rockets, which according a BBC article could be considered “outdated”. Although we are still far from achieving this goal, efforts are being put to make this a reality.
Finally, as we have learned this quarter art and science inspire each other. Inspired by his interest in gravitational force, Arthur Woods, has created artwork that questions the concept of “up and down”. He believes that it is gravity, which allows us to define which way, is up, thus he created artwork, which can be mounted on the wall in any position, as it does not prescribe to any specific orientation. His work is truly enlightening as it brings up an often-overlooked point that the concept of up and down is not natural and is just a human invention for our convenience.
REFERENCES:
- "Bonestell - Home." Bonestell - Home. N.p., n.d. Web. 04 June 2017. <http://www.bonestell.org/>.
- "Cosmic dancer - a space art intervention by arthur woods." Gravity And Art: Space Art Arthur Woods Cosmic Dancer. N.p., n.d. Web. 04 June 2017. <http://www.cosmicdancer.com/gravity_and_art.php>.
- Fenlon, Wesley. "How Sci-Fi Propaganda Art Influenced The US and Soviet Space Race." How Sci-Fi Propaganda Art Influenced The US and Soviet Space Race. TESTED, 3 Apr. 2012. Web. 04 June 2017. <http://www.tested.com/art/43726-sci_fi-art-propaganda-across-cultures/>.
- Fleming, Nic. "Future - Should we give up on the dream of space elevators?" BBC. BBC, 19 Feb. 2015. Web. 04 June 2017. <http://www.bbc.com/future/story/20150211-space-elevators-a-lift-too-far>.
- Vesna, Victoria. Lecture. DESMA 9. Web. 04 June 2017.
Comments
Post a Comment