Week 9 - Space + Art

I found Space and Art to be the most interesting of the different topics that we looked at over the course of the quarter. We have all considered space and what it is like out there, but I never really considered the profound influence that art has had upon space technology. Roger Malina presents this very concept in the Leonardo Space Project when he explains just how much art and the cultural imagination of artists and writers has gone into helping the advancement of space technology. What was once regarded as science fiction is now becoming a reality.

Virgin Galactic

First depicted in shows such as Star Trek, or The Jetsons, space travel seemed like such a far off concept. However, the private business Virgin Galactic is pioneering the development of the first commercialized human spaceflight. The company hopes that through the expansion to space, they will be able to significantly change the world in a positive way. This very invention is the result of the boundless imaginations of movie writers and artists.

Use of Zero Gravity in art

As has been a constant theme throughout the many weeks, space and art have had a mutually beneficial relationship, helping each other to grow in many ways. One of the applications I found most interesting is the use of zero gravity in art. As we learn more about space and our intrigue for it grows, so too does our intrigue for its utilization within art. The use of art and zero gravity attempts to create the condition of weightlessness on earth through photography and video. It encapsulated the imagination of the viewer, presenting something that we know is out there, but have yet to experience for ourselves (or at least for most of us).

Floatation Tank

Our desire to experience zero gravity has grown with the development of space and art. This can be seen in the development of floatation tanks and zero gravity chambers. Both of these work to mimic the effects of zero gravity, making it affordable for an individual to experience weightlessness first hand. It is amazing to consider how space and art continue to reinforce each other, and I cannot wait to see what the future holds for this kind of technology.





Image/Video Links:

- https://i.ytimg.com/vi/QeM9ztm9Cxo/maxresdefault.jpg
- http://www.artandeducation.net/wp-content/uploads/2010/12/wpid-1267458370web_image1.jpg
- http://i.telegraph.co.uk/multimedia/archive/03414/vgss1_3414492b.jpg

Works Cited:

- Contributors. "Isolation Tank." Wikiwand. Wikipedia, n.d. Web. 26 May 2016.
- Forde, Kathleen. "Dancing on the Ceiling: Art & Zero Gravity." Dancing on the Ceiling. Curtis R. Priem Experimental Media, n.d. Web. 26 May 2016.
- "Human Spaceflight - Virgin Galactic." Virgin Galactic. 2016 Virgingalactic, n.d. Web. 26 May 2016.
- “Leonardo Space Art Project Visioneers.” Leonardo Space Art Project. MIT Press, 1996. Web. 25 May 2016.
- Vesna, Victoria. "Space and Art (Part 1)." UCLA. Lecture. 26 May 2016.
- Vesna, Victoria. "Space and Art (Part 2)." UCLA. Lecture. 26 May 2016.
- Vesna, Victoria. "Space and Art (Part 3)." UCLA. Lecture. 26 May 2016.
- Vesna, Victoria. "Space and Art (Part 4)." UCLA. Lecture. 26 May 2016.
- Vesna, Victoria. "Space and Art (Part 5)." UCLA. Lecture. 26 May 2016.
- Vesna, Victoria. "Space and Art (Part 6)." UCLA. Lecture. 26 May 2016.