| [ Introduction ][ Mission ][ A
Brief History of Space Art ]
The
Definition of Space Art [ Next ]
The term "Space Art" has many connotations and
definitions even among the practitioners of this genre in the space
community.
Roger F. Malina, the
editor of "Leonardo: The Journal of Art, Science and Technology" has
tracked its development over years.
He defines Space Art as:
"Contemporary art which relies on space
activity for its implementation" and lists seven broad categories:
1. Fine art which exploits sensory experiences
generated through space exploration. New landscapes become accessible
through space photography and film. Space illustrators anticipated
some of these. and make use of the photographic record from space
exploration.
2. Art which expresses the new psychological
and philosophical conceptions developed through the exploration
of space. The primary example of this is the concept of the Earth
as a whole system - a concept made concrete by the first views
of the whole Earth seen from space.
3. Art in space, viewed from Earth.
4. Art on Earth, viewed from space.
5. Art in space, viewed in space.
6. The applied arts such as space architecture,
interior design and furniture design.
7. Fine art which takes advantage of new technologies
and materials created through space activities. The most important
of these make use of satellite systems to create simultaneous
global artworks.
Roger Malina goes on to point out that the work
of some of the most important illustrators, i.e. Chesley Bonestell,
David Hardy, and Ludek Pesek, not only anticipated some of the
results of space exploration, but in some senses made space exploration
possible by generating public interest and support as well as by
helping scientists to plan and illustrate their experiments.
As to the ultimate relevance of space art to space
activities Malina (1989) states:
"The creation of contemporary art is
inextricably tied to the process of creating human civilization
Within this perspective, art making will occur as a part of
space exploration, and in fact art making must be encouraged
in space as one of the ways without which, in the long run,
human use of space will be incomplete and unsuccessful."
Space artist and planetary scientist William K.
Hartmann (1990) cites four roles for space art:
1. Encouraging scientific exploration
2. Recording historical evolution planetary exploration
3. Promoting international cooperation
4. Synthesizing information to stimulate new
ideas about the universe and our relationship to it.
Today, there are probably less than 2000 artists
who are dedicating their talents to some form of space art. Furthermore,
the appreciation of this genre of art in all of its manifestations
by the mainstream art community has been slow. Like much of science
fiction literature, space art is rarely considered to be "serious" art
but rather anecdotal to main stream contemporary art. Consequently,
space art is most often found in tecnical museums and planetariums.
On the other hand, films with space themes are
widely popular and are financially very successful. Recently major
art institutions and museums have begun to look closer at art dealing
with space. Space art is finally becoming recognized in the contemporary
art world.
www.spacearts.info
In 2002, the OURS
Foundation and Leonardo/OLATS initiated
a project called: SPACEARTS:
The Space Art Database Project" with the goal to document
both the history and the diversity of space art. Although the project
is still under developmet, the organizers have identified the
following categories of space art.
- Scientific Illustration
- Astronomical
- Science Fiction
- Space Fantasy
- Comics
- Conceptual
- Abstract
- Representational
- New Media / Electronic
- Electromagnetic Art (X-ray, Laser, Radio)
- On Earth seen from
Space
- In Space seen from Earth
- In Space seen from Space
- Created in Space
- Designed for other Celestial Destinations
- Zero-G
- Designed for Space Habitats
- Architecture
- Land Art
- Utilizing Space Technology / Materials
- Inspired by Space
- Biological
- Games
- Other
Click to continue:
On
The Forefront Of Space Exploration
The
Definition of Space Art
Astronomical
Art
Art
Launched Into Space
Art
On Earth Seen From Space
Performance
Art In Zero-G
Proposals
For Orbital Sculptures
Contemporary
Art Enters Space
Present & Future
Projects
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