Space and Art

Yuri Gagarin, the first man in space

Space exploration has become one of mankind’s greatest achievements, with the first man in space Yuri Gagarin, to today’s technologies of preparing to send man to Mars. It is an exciting field of science that has gripped the attention of many. It’s hard to imagine what a trip to space would look like without actually going, but with the help of art and design projects, the ordinary man and woman are able to grasp a better picture of what a trip would look like.

At the very beginning of the space race there were propaganda news articles and television broadcasts that served the current state of space exploration to the mass public. Today there are amazing computer generated pictures and movies that can bring accurate beautiful images of the edge of our Galaxy, or the rings of Saturn to the general public. C.P. Snow argued that the third culture is an integral part of human civilization, being able to integrate both disciplines of art and science. With the help of these talented artists and scientists that work together to bring stunning images to any who are interested, the public are able to enjoy and get a good picture of what deep space exploration looks like, and ultimately become excited with what the future of space technology will bring.

Computer generated image (CGI) of Saturn

Popular TV show The Jetson's

Without art the general public would have a hard time imagining what space exploration looks like, and in turn be unable to get excited about it. Popular television shows and movies have been able to get all ranges of ages excited, with the help of The Jetson’s, Star Trek, and Star Wars, fictional portrayals of space travel has sparked the excitement to all. Star Trek fans have always been fascinated with the technologically advanced watches that the characters wear, and with the recent introduction of smart watches in today’s society, fans get a glimpse of how much closer technology is getting to what man once thought was fiction. In the years to come, what was once thought to be fantastic science fiction will become reality.

Sources:

Blitz, Matt. "The Mysterious Death of the First Man in Space." Popular Mechanics. N.p., 2016. Web. 24 July 2016.

Vesna, Victoria. 'Lecture 5'. DESMA 9. 05/27/2016. Web.

C.P. Snow. Two Cultures and the Scientific Revolution. 1964. Print.

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

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

Images:

"Yuri Gagarin, First Human in Space, Was a Devout Christian, Says His Close Friend - On the Front Lines of the Culture Wars." On the Front Lines of the Culture Wars. N.p., 2011. Web. 24 July 2016.

"The Jetsons (Western Animation) - TV Tropes." TV Tropes. N.p., n.d. Web. 24 July 2016.

"ZI of the Planet Saturn." Getty Images. N.p., n.d. Web. 24 July 2016.