Week 5: Space + Art

For the past couple of weeks, the recurring theme of art and science as two overlapping spheres of study grew more and more apparent with all the new forms of technological collaborations from artificial intelligence to biotechnology to neuroscience to nanotechnology.

Information technology, cognitive science, biomedical engineering, and many other fields of emerging technologies are generating unimaginable scenarios that seem to explore far beyond the comprehendible boundaries of our world. Art, on the other hand, was in a steady process of advancement following various art movements in the 1960s, but seems to have leveled out in the recent years. So many may ask, is art actually getting closer to science? Is art simply a passing fad? Or will it ever catch up to the relentless growth of science?

While scientists strive to understand the intricacies of the world’s structures, artists endeavor to expose the deeper implications of the scientific advancement and most importantly, seek the shape new paradigms. In this respect, art is not only close to science and growing closer each day, but is also complementary and indispensable to the growth of science. Just as Buckminster Fuller once said, “The further art advances, the closer it approaches science; the further science advances, the closer it approaches art.”

 [Buckminster Fuller]

In addition to previously mentioned focuses of science, space science is another commonly researched field that greatly benefits from the invaluable tools of art education and art application. Studies demonstrate that art plays a critical role in enhancing STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) and ultimately in understanding it. In psychology terms, such a collaboration of studies forces both hemispheres of the brain to coalesce, fostering the rapid development of creative and critical thinking, problem solving, and communication skills. Few can dispute that art, in its many diverse forms, enhances understanding, provides unparalleled insight and imagination, and builds an emotional connection from artist to audience. With much of the general public largely indifferent at best to space exploration, understanding the quintessential, synergistic role art can play in inspiring society well outside the narrow niche of the space field can go a long way towards generating broader interest and support for space explorations across the board. As author of A Man on the Moon, Andrew Chaikin, said, “Art was one of the things that made space exploration a cultural event. It was very much part of the way we as a culture experienced space exploration, even aside from the photographs, because it was really the art that conveyed the excitement.”

["A decade in the making, this book is based on hundreds of hours of in-depth interviews with each of the twenty-four moon voyagers, as well as those who contributed their brain power, training and teamwork on Earth."]

One quality astronauts, scientists, and artist have in common is the inclination to explore, whether by means of a mission to the moon, scientific inquiry, or a canvas and paint. These works of art provide a historical legacy for the public to behold. In hopes of maintaining these moments, many museums specific to the history of space ventures were created. One of the most famous museums today is the National Air and Space Museum of the Smithsonian Institution, which was established in 1946. It currently holds the largest collection of historic aircraft and spacecraft in the world, and is also a center for research of the history and science behind aviation, spaceflight, planetary science, and terrestrial geology. Another attempt of recording the history of space exploration through the eyes of artists is the NASA Art Program, which was established in 1962. The inception of this program was encouraged by the idea that space art would help educate people about NASA and its mission—and to recreate some of the magic of space exploration that photographs simply cannot capture. Without museums like National Air and Space Museum and programs like NASA Art Program, many of Earth’s historic triumphs and pioneering legacies—such as moon landings, rocket launches, planetary explorations, and even tragic accidents—would be unknown to millions.

[Astronaut display in the National Air and Space Museum]

[Art prints from the NASA Art Program]

Works Cited

Picture Credits

http://cumbriansky.wordpress.com/2009/06/11/apollo-the-anniversary-approaches/

http://mightymega.com/2013/10/05/terrific-nasa-space-program-art-prints/

http://www.theutopian.net/2013/09/19/r-buckminster-fullers-egocide/

http://capitolescapes.com/the-air-space-museum/

Source Credits

K, Paul. "Re: Space Age Art." Web log comment. BibliOdyssey. Blogspot, 12 June 2012. Web. <http://bibliodyssey.blogspot.com/2012/06/space-age-art.html>.

Vesna, Victoria. "Introduction to Buckminster Fuller." Buckminster Fuller Institute. N.p., n.d. Web. <http%3A%2F%2Fbfi.org%2Fabout-fuller%2Fbiography%2Fintroduction-buckminster-fuller>.

Dunbar, Brian. "The NASA Art Program." NASA. N.p., 12 Apr. 2013. Web. <http://www.nasa.gov/connect/artspace/creative_works/feature-inception.html>.