Week Nine
In the final lessons of the quarter, we learned about
the connections between Space and Art. I was most interested in the film
industry’s take on space. Space is still mostly a vast area of unknown darkness.
Before we managed to put a man on the moon or even have a shuttle orbiting
earth, artists were already imagining what was in this great area of darkness (Malina).
After space was further explored, space exploded and became a hot topic in film
and in society as well.
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| Depiction of our Solar System |
Since the time of Copernicus and even before then,
scientists and artists have been dreaming of what lies outside the comfort of
Earth. Earth appeared to people to be just “a lonely speck in the lonely great enveloping
cosmic darkness” (Sagan). What lies outside of earth was only something
imagined by artists until we could successfully place a man on the moon. Space
was always a popular topic among various scholars, Copernicus brought forth the
idea of the solar system and the sun being the center while artists created
shows and movies such as The Jetsons and
Star Trek to breathe life into the imagination
of millions who yearned of the unknown thing called “space” (Vesna Lecture 2). The
type of art that emerged before space was explored focused on a futuristic type
of world outside of earth. One filled with people and life far advanced our years
here on Earth. This time was a much happier twist on space.
 |
| The Jestsons TV Show (Example of a happier Space) |
We see a slight shift in the film and television
industry after space is further explored. Space films after the moon landing
were more vicious and hostile towards the topic of space. Movies like Zathura, Alien, and Apollo 18 gave a scary twist to space. The film industry took advantage
of the scientists’ discoveries, like buckeyballs that were discovered in
Ontario, and raised the publics’ fear of how space “dust” could end up on
Earth. (Vesna Lecture 1). The special effects allow for the film industry to
make it seem as if aliens are coming to Earth or if we are on a spaceship
floating in space. The images created by the industry are partially real based
on scientific fact and the other half are artist born ideas of what lies in the
gaps still unknown. The film industry also shifted alongside science, the more
science uncovered, the more fear films struck into society.
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| Apollo 18 Movie Poster (Example of modern "scary" Space film) |
Works
Cited
"Apollo
18 Movie Poster (#5 of 5)." IMP Awards - All the Latest Movie
Posters. N.p., n.d. Web. 01 June 2017. <http://www.impawards.com/2011/apollo_eighteen_ver5.html>.
Explained,
Space. "The Solar System versus a Galaxy versus the Milky Way versus the
Universe." Space Explained. Space Explained, n.d. Web. 01 June
2017. <http://www.spaceexplained.com/astronomy-explained/the-solar-system-versus-a-galaxy-versus-the-milky-way-versus-the-universe/>.
Malina,
Roger, Arthur Woods, Annick Bureaud, and B. E. Johnson. "The Leonardo
Space Art Project Working Group." Leonardo Space Art Project
Visioneers. N.p., n.d. Web. 01 June 2017.
<http://spaceart.org/leonardo/vision.html>.
Sagan,
Carl. "Carl Sagan - Pale Blue Dot." YouTube. YouTube, 02
Apr. 2007. Web. 01 June 2017.
<https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p86BPM1GV8M>.
Vesna,
Victoria. "8 Space Pt1 1280x720." YouTube. UCOnline, 29
July 2013. Web. 01 June 2017. <https://youtu.be/2dPAmpBiVHY>.
Vesna,
Victoria. "8 Space Pt2 1280x720." YouTube. UCOnline, 29
July 2013. Web. 01 June 2017. <https://youtu.be/2dPAmpBiVHY>.
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