Week 9: Space +l Art

I mentioned in a previous blog post that "if science is a man's empirical analysis of himself and his surroundings, then astronomy and neuroscience are the two poles of this scientific spectrum; while both contain huge amounts of unknowns, both inspire phenomenal creativity." While neuroscience is a man's conscious struggle with his inner intangibilities, space and astronomy is a man's struggle with his outer intangibilities. 

painting combines astronomy and neuroscience

Although the outer universe has been a topic of investigation ever since ancient times by philosophers, mathematicians, and astronomers such as Aristotle, Ptolemy, and Copernicus, it is only during the past century that men have truly ventured into this vast unknown. As a result of the cold war, what has previous been the byproduct of science fiction has become a technological reality. 

The intersection of space technology and art, otherwise known as astronomical art, has inspired many artistic genres including realism, impressionism, and sculpture. Space art was furthered by reflecting telescopes, which capture accurate depictions of the cosmos. Both scientists, who observe and postulate the universe for astronomical research, as well as artists, who are simply fascinated and inspired by the eccentricity of the outer universe, participate in the production of astronomical art. However strange the universe landscape may be, it can be captured with surprising accuracy through the hands of an artist with little scientific background.

Scientists also use art to engage their topics of interest. One example is Lucianne Walkowicz, an astronomer working on NASA's Kepler mission. Walkowicz, a scientist and poet, creates art for the purpose of resisting the academic and professional pressure to "divide science from creativity". Her actions makes her a pioneer in breaking down the myth of Two Cultures. 

Lucianne Walkowicz wants to educate the public on the tangibility and creativity of science

Space art is a great example of how scientists are inspiring genres of art, and how scientific creations enables the production of novel realism art pieces. The constant expansion of the vast universe precisely mirrors the limitlessness of human creativity and the unending sources of inspiration around us.

Media:
Banks, Michele. "New Painting Combines Astronomy and Neuroscience #sciart Https://t.co/wgi1WqHcvo Pic.twitter.com/GbRfYfp9bK." Twitter. Twitter, 25 Feb. 2016. Web. 18 July 2016. 

Digital image. How One Astronomer Uses Art to Understand Science. Phys.org, n.d. Web. 24 July 2016. 

Spacearium. "Beginnings Of The Space Age - A History Of The Early Space Program, Cape Canaveral And NASA." YouTube. YouTube, 23 June 2013. Web. 24 July 2016. 

TheStreetArtVideos. "Space Painting Tutorial Planets. Street Art." YouTube. YouTube, 28 May 2013. Web. 24 July 2016. 

Sources:

Vesna, Victoria. "Space and Art." UCLA. Los Angeles, CA. 20 May 2016. Web. 23 May 2016.

"Early Astronomers: Ptolemy, Aristotle, Copernicus, and Galileo." Librarypoint. N.p., n.d. Web. 24 July 2016. 

"How One Astronomer Uses Art to Understand Science." How One Astronomer Uses Art to Understand Science. Phys.org, n.d. Web. 24 July 2016. 

"History of Astronomy." Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, n.d. Web. 24 July 2016. 

History.com Staff. "Arms Race." History.com. A&E Television Networks, 01 June 2009. Web. 24 May 2016.