Week 9 Space + Art

Treasure Island by Walt Disney

Ever since I was little, I was always fascinated by space. The ceiling of my bedroom is plastered with glow in-the-dark star stickers. I was a huge fan of movies like Treasure Planet and my dad always encouraged me to watch space documentaries like Space Station and Apollo 13. Therefore I always imagined space to be filled with endless possibilities.

From these movies, I always strictly connected space with science. However, this course has over and over again proved that most aspects in life are connected with science and art. While mathematical space composes of the elements or points in this infinite field, artistic space is the organization or rearrangement of space. (1) American artist Frank Stella went even further to state that “the aim of art is to create space — space that is not compromised by decoration or illustration, space within which the subjects of painting can live.” (2)

Frank Stella: www.20thcenturyartmovements.weebly.com

Although that space isn’t exactly the space we associate with outer space, I, nonetheless, believe it is still important to understand. From the Powers of Ten video (3), it made me realize exactly how small and how large adding an extra zero does to something. It put into perspective that literally everything is space. Space is honestly infinite and we see this as we continually zoom out into 10^20, 10^21, 10^22, etc. Therefore, it is not surprising that the ideas we have associated to space is also infinite and incredible. Intergalactic movies, like Star Trek, Spaceballs, and Starship Trooper, have ran rampant with space technology and ideas. (4) Artists like Shepard Fairey even send their artwork into space to hopefully connect with intergalactic organisms and mark their achievements. (5)

Apollo 11 Mission Patch (via NASA)

Apollo 17 Patch Designed by Robert McCall (via NASA)

Skylab 1 Patch Designed by Frank Kelly Freas

Citations:

1. Tyler, Christopher. “The Concept of Space in Twentieth Century Art.” <https://www.ski.org/CWTyler_lab/CWTyler/Art%20Investigations/C20th_Space/C20thSpace.html>

2. “Frank Stela” The Art Story <http://www.theartstory.org/artist-stella-frank.htm>

3. Eames, Charles and Ray. “Powers of Ten” video. Eames Office. 1977. <https://www.youtube.com/watch?t=25&v=0fKBhvDjuy0>

4. Hickman, Matt. “18 Space Movies Everyone Should See” Mother Nature Network. Jun 24, 2013. <http://www.mnn.com/lifestyle/arts-culture/stories/18-space-movies-that-everyone-should-see>

5. Meier, Allison. “5 Artists Who’ve Sent Their Work Into Outer Space.” Salon. Mar 23, 2013

<http://www.salon.com/2013/03/23/five_artists_whove_sent_mission_patches_into_space_partner/>