Grace Collins Week #9 DESMA9

 Art + Science + Tech: Space

“Human destiny on Earth is irrevocably linked to human destiny in space,” according to the Leonardo Space Art Project. I particularly found this idea interesting in terms of the lectures we viewed this week. Human fascination with space exploration had a breakthrough in 1961 when Yuri Gagarin, from the Soviet Union, was the first human in space. A few years prior, however, Laikia, a dog, was sent in 1957 as the first creature in Space.



Personally, challenging the idea of ethics, I found this to be quite sad. I had never learned this before, and it was upsetting to hear that there were no plans for the dog’s return from space. The life support system failed and due to technical difficulties the journey didn't last more than a couple hours. 




As I mentioned in the first line, there is a fictional and sort of fantastical thought that the possibility of humans living on other planets could exist. Art has shown the possibilities of life on other planets through many different media, including in fine arts, television, and even children's books. Below is an illustration of Marianne J. Dyson and Buzz Aldrin’s Children book Welcome to Mars: Making a Home on the Red Planet and was published by National Geographic’s children's books. 




Works Cited:

Levrier, Guy. “ The Leonardo Space Art Project Working Group.” Leonardo Space Art Project Visioneers, http://spaceart.org/leonardo/vision.html.

Lewis, Robert. “Laika.” Encyclopædia Britannica, Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc., https://www.britannica.com/topic/Laika.

Magazine, Smithsonian. “How NASA Marketed Its Space Program with Fantastical Depictions of the Future.” Smithsonian.com, Smithsonian Institution, 1 Oct. 2020, https://www.smithsonianmag.com/arts-culture/nasa-marketed-moon-future-180975781/.

Mai, Thuy. “April 1961 - First Human Entered Space.” NASA, NASA, 7 May 2015, https://www.nasa.gov/directorates/heo/scan/images/history/April1961.html.

N/A. “Human Colony on Mars for Buzz Aldrin's ‘Welcome to Mars’ Book.” Human Mars, 1 Jan. 1970, https://www.humanmars.net/2019/06/human-colony-on-mars-for-buzz-aldrins.html. 


Images:

Crookes, David, and All About Space magazine. “Yuri Gagarin: How the First Man in Space Sparked a Conspiracy Theory.” Space.com, Space, 12 Apr. 2021, https://www.space.com/yuri-gagarin-conspiracy-theory. 

Isachenkov, Vladimir. “Space Dog Monument Opens in Russia.” NBCNews.com, NBCUniversal News Group, 11 Apr. 2008, https://www.nbcnews.com/id/wbna24069819. 

Aldrin, Buzz, and Marianne J. Dyson. “Welcome to Mars.” Amazon, National Geographic, 2015, https://www.amazon.com/Welcome-Mars-Making-Home-Planet/dp/1426322062. 


Comments

  1. Livier MonarrezMay 28, 2022 at 10:09 AM

    Thank you for an awesome blog! I also find it troubling that there is no plan or system that accommodates dogs to return from space. I find it very crucial. I also enjoyed your last picture as it shows how art has presented the possible ways through artistic imagination of having human life on another planet. Thank you!

    ReplyDelete
  2. feliciawDESMA9May 28, 2022 at 11:16 PM

    Hi Grace, I enjoyed reading your post this week! Art is inspired by space advancements, but in turn, space advancements are inspired by art as well. Shows like Star Wars and Star Trek that tell tales of characters on a journey of intergalactic travel have captured the interest of so many people. In turn, they may want to pursue science and space exploration. I think it's a beautiful thing when media builds upon real life events to inspire the next generation to contribute to future advancements. That's why movies, TV shows, and art in general can inspire people to study STEM fields. With human exploration looking to Mars and beyond, we can only guess what the future holds!

    ReplyDelete
  3. Sean McQuigganMay 29, 2022 at 11:09 PM

    I completely agree with your comment at the end of your blog about how art and this fiction of what we imagine space is like can be true. Many of originally spaceships were once just aa thing of science fiction but have now grown into real objects.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Jack FilbyMay 30, 2022 at 2:06 PM

    Hi Grace, I really enjoyed reading your blog post and thought there was some great detail and insight. In your first paragraph you mention the Space Race that went on will all the different powers across the world trying to put a human on the moon and I think this is partially what makes space so interesting and historic. The space race was one the most competitive and intense periods in history and I think it is often overlooked. Getting a human being on the moon and into space is an incredible feat.

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