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National Air and Space Museum marks 50 with space-focused art exhibition

artJul 6, 20261241

The Smithsonian’s National Air and Space Museum marks its 50th anniversary with an expansive exhibition in its revamped Flight and the Arts Center that surveys how artists have captured space travel. The museum’s art collection has grown to more than 8,000 works after James Webb inspired NASA to start an art programme; James Dean led that programme from 1962 to 1974 and transferred about 2,000 NASA artworks to the museum before becoming the museum’s first art curator. The show includes works by Alexander Calder, Henry Casselli, Annie Leibovitz, Norman Rockwell and Alma Thomas alongside the museum’s landmark artefacts such as the Wright brothers’ flyer, Charles Lindbergh’s Spirit of St Louis, the Apollo 11 command module Columbia and Neil Armstrong’s Apollo 11 spacesuit. Carolyn Russo, curator of the art collection, says, "Flight originated from the imagination," and the exhibition aims to show the human dimension of flight rather than the technical details. Norman Rockwell’s Man’s First Step on the Moon, painted around 1964 from a full-size NASA lunar module model, is shown as an example of art shaping public perception; Rockwell later questioned the space programme in a 1969 draft speech after the Apollo 1 fire. The selection on display highlights contrasting artistic reactions to the space age, from Rockwell’s sober realism to Alma Thomas’s celebratory abstraction, and is presented specifically to mark the museum’s fiftieth year.

The Guardian
@theguardian.com

‘Flight originated from the imagination’: how artists have captured space travel

2945d ago
Quoting this
Joel3

Wonderful article. My favorite space painting is Sunrise in Orbit by Alexei Leonov

ipreferpi3.bsky.social
@ipreferpi3.bsky.social

My favorite wholly unattributed quote on the back of this Art decorates space, music decorates time.

345d ago
Denise Hearn
@denisehearn.bsky.social

"How do we measure the number of sunrises that have ever happened on earth?" Beautiful short video on @longnow.org Council member Katie Paterson's cross-medium, cross disciplinary art practice exploring themes of atmosphere, space, light, and time. vimeo.com/1206273605?f...

144d ago
The Magic Tuba Pixie
@the-magic-tuba-pix.bsky.social

Your mastery over this medium is really showcased by your ability to communicate so many different textures using just one color. I also love space as an art theme and this absolutely rules

344d ago
Shirley
@shirleyrl.bsky.social

www.theguardian.com/artanddesign... Art and Space. Wouldn't mind seeing that exhibition. Oh for a 🖖Transporter🙂

245d ago
Addicted Art Gallery
@addictedartgallery.bsky.social

“One side will make you grow taller, and the other side will make you grow shorter.” ~ The Caterpillar 🎨 Get Your Art Fix! “Out Of Space” by Jada + David ✨ Surreal Spaces is now live ✨ Artwork 🔗 bit.ly/4p5W1lx Series 🔗 bit.ly/4oWXBGC #SurrealSpaces #VisualStoryTelling #Illusion #Perception

Title: Out Of Space Photographers: Jada + David Medium: Archival pigment print on Hahnemühle Photo Rag paper, signed and numbered by the artist. Edition: ✨Small Format: Edition of 50 ✨ Medium Format: Edition of 25 ✨ Large Format: Edition of 12 Year: 2021 Size: ✨ Small: 61.0cm x 61.0cm ✨ Medium: 101.6cm x 101.6cm ✨ Large: 152.4cm x 152.4cm Good To Know: Printed to order with 5.0cm white border, shipped direct from the artist's studio, accompanied by a CoA (Certificate of Authenticity) issued by the artists. Series: Surreal Spaces Arty-Fact: "Before any creative shoot, I like to make up a loose storyline about my vision for the shoot. I share this with the model before we begin shooting. I touch on the emotions I want to evoke and the different things I will ask them to do during the shoot. It makes the model feel more like they are playing a character than being themselves, which usually leads to more authentic images.” ~ Jada Price: ✨ Small: USD $1,500 ✨ Medium: USD $3,000 ✨ Large: USD $5,500 Prices: Exclude shipping and applicable import duties / charges. Please contact our gallery to obtain a shipping quote.
144d ago
FreakyShoes.com
@freakyshoes.bsky.social

The universe never looked so wearable. This Vibrant Galaxy Tie Dye Gradient Outer Space A is the kind of galaxy art you fall for instantly. Bold, original, and built to last. Discover more galaxy art at FreakyShoes. #StarryNight #SpaceArt

145d ago
Mazzamonk AKA Things That Make You Tick
@mazzamonk.bsky.social

Chesley Knight Bonestell Jr. was an American painter, designer, and illustrator. His paintings inspired the American space program, and they have been influential in science fiction art and illustration. His art was everywhere... www.chesleybonestell.com #loveart #thattick #illustrator #spaceart

145d ago
Ian Whittingham
@iwhitti.bsky.social

In 1969, another edition of Rauschenberg's tiny tile was reportedly attached to the lunar module of Apollo 12. It remains on the lunar surface to this day. It is the smallest, and most distant, piece of art he ever made. www.theguardian.com/artanddesign...

45d ago
Space Feed
@spacefeed.bsky.social

The Milky Way canvas art that makes every astrophotogra 💲$8 https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0D9YHQ999?tag=choosetoshop-20&linkCode=osi&th=1&psc=1 🔭 This 102mm telescope reveals objects you'd never expect 🌌 https://www.telescopeadvisor.com/what-can-you-see-with-102mm-telescope/ #Space #Astronomy #ad

45d ago
Space
@stellarvisions.bsky.social

planet,planeta,planet jupiter, planet saturn,planeta jupiter,planeta saturno,space,galaxy,stars,astronomy,universe,outer space,globe,earth,sphere,andromeda,fluid,fluid art,abstract,abstract art,abstract background,abstract dark,texture,text 🪐 🛰️ #Space #NASA #Astronomy #StellarVisions

planet,planeta,planet jupiter, planet saturn,planeta jupiter,planeta saturno,space,galaxy,stars,astronomy,universe,outer space,globe,earth,sphere,andromeda,fluid,fluid art,abstract
45d ago
Raise Good Ruckus
@raisegoodruckus.bsky.social

ART SPOTLIGHT Earth, but advertised like the greatest vacation destination in the universe. “Earth: Your Oasis in Space” was illustrated by Joby Harris for NASA/JPL’s Visions of the Future poster series.

Stylized vintage space-tourism poster in vivid greens, blues, and yellows. Two figures stand with their arms around each other, gazing over a winding river toward forests and snow-covered mountains. An astronaut helmet rests nearby, while deer, birds, fruit, flowers, and butterflies emphasize Earth’s abundance. The caption reads, “EARTH — Your Oasis in Space. Where the air is free and breathing is easy.”
45d ago
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theguardian.com‘Flight originated from the imagination’: how artists have captured space travel

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