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Space art ranges from hard-edged graphic arts realism to fine art abstraction. Regardless of the style, good space art illuminates the special excitement, mystery and attraction of the cosmos.
Space art comes second only to science fiction in the power to inspire the public’s interest and support for space exploration.
The history of space art goes back to at least the late 1800’s with the illustrations for the books of Jules Verne and for
the first popular books on astronomy.
From science fiction book covers to the illustrations in non-fiction space books, artists took us into space with their visual imaginations long before our spacecraft arrived there.
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Some space art notables
** Chesley Bonestell (1888-1986)
- Chesley Bonestell Gallery
- Chesley Bonestell – A brush with the future
- A Lunar Landscape | National Air and Space Museum
- Meet Chesley Bonestell, the most important space artist you’ve probably never heard of | Astronomy.com – May.18.2023
** Alan Bean (1932-2018)
- The Alan Bean Gallery
- Alan Bean Art, Alan Bean Astronaut, Alan Bean Moonwalker, Alan Bean Paintings
- Alan Bean – Exclusive Art Collections at Greenwich Workshop
The fourth man to walk on the moon, Alan Bean gave up the astronaut life at the age of 49 to start a new career as an artist. He developed a strongly realistic yet expressive style that established him in the top echelon of space artists.
He actually put a bit of the Moon into each of his paintings. NASA allowed the astronauts to keep the patches and insignias from their spacesuits. Bean realized years later that these items were impregnated with moon dust. So he cut off tiny bits and added them to his painting medium.
** Robert McCall (1919-2010)
Resources
- International Association of Astronomical Artists (IAAA)
- Online galleries:
- Articles:
See also the HobbySpace Space Arts archive section.
Arts posts
Space art update – April 2026
It’s been quite a while since I posted anything on space inspired art. Here are miscellaneous art items I’ve collected over the past few years. Art In Space ** SRIC4 #16: “Gallery Space: Art and spaceflight” with Barbara Brownie | Space Renaissance This video provides a nice overview of art “in space” given by Dr … Continue reading Space art update – April 2026
Space arts roundup – Aug.14.2023
This Space arts roundup offers a selection of news and resources from the intersection of space and the arts. ** Ax-2 Mission | John Shoffner announced International Space Art Content winners from the ISS – Axiom Space Axiom Space is guided by the vision of a thriving home in space that benefits every human, everywhere. … Continue reading Space arts roundup – Aug.14.2023
Space music roundup – Feb.22.2023
Here are some space music related items: ** Julia Westlin and David MeShow do a nice acapella cover of TALK’s Run Away To Mars (Listen to the TALK version in the previous Space Music posting): **Space Song (Lyrics) – Beach House – Vibe Music – YouTube ** An anthology of lyrics to Filk songs has … Continue reading Space music roundup – Feb.22.2023
Space art roundup – July.7.2022
Here is a collection of news, announcements, videos, and other resources that touch on the mingling of art and space: === Art in space ** Sacha Jafri‘s artwork going to the Moon. The First Artwork To Be Sent to the Moon Will Be a Piece by Dubai-Based Artist Sacha Jafri – Vogue: The artwork will … Continue reading Space art roundup – July.7.2022
Space non-profits receive $1M grants from Blue Origin’s Club for the Future foundation
Good news for space education and the promotion of space development and settlement. Nineteen space-related non-profits, including several space activist organizations, will each get $1M from Blue Origin. Blue Origin’s foundation, Club for the Future, selects 19 space-based charities to each receive a $1 million grant Today, Blue Origin’s foundation, Club for the Future, announced … Continue reading Space non-profits receive $1M grants from Blue Origin’s Club for the Future foundation
“Chesley Bonestell: A Brush with the Future” film now available at Amazon Prime
The documentary, Chesley Bonestell: A Brush With The Future, is now available for rent or purchase on Amazon Prime. What do the Golden Gate Bridge, the Chrysler Building, the film Citizen Kane, and America’s Space Program all have in common? They were touched by the hand of a wry-humored and slightly cantankerous artist named Chesley … Continue reading “Chesley Bonestell: A Brush with the Future” film now available at Amazon Prime
Artists commissioned to create paintings on sides of Blue Origin New Shepard rockets
Uplift Aerospace is a company that provides exclusive products forever transformed by their travel beyond our atmosphere in the realm of the stars. Our products symbolize humanity’s boundless capability and commitment to exploration. One of Uplift’s projects is to use Blue Origin‘s New Shepard vehicles as canvases for original art pieces: Uplift Aerospace is Using … Continue reading Artists commissioned to create paintings on sides of Blue Origin New Shepard rockets
Space Songs – Live concert from Air & Space Museum
The Smithsonian Air & Space Museum is hosting an online space music event tonight at 8:00 pm EDT: Space Songs: Through the Distance Join the National Air and Space Museum Thursday, April 30 at 8 pm EDT for a YouTube concert event, sharing songs about space and isolation to celebrate how extreme situations can bring … Continue reading Space Songs – Live concert from Air & Space Museum
MIT Media Lab’s Sojourner 2020 art mission to the ISS
The SpaceX Cargo Dragon for the CRS-20 mission to the International Space Station returned today for a safe landing in the Pacific. Five payloads from MIT Media Lab’s Space Exploration Initiative were among the payloads delivered in March to the Station and returned on the Dragon: Five MIT payloads deployed on the International Space Station … Continue reading MIT Media Lab’s Sojourner 2020 art mission to the ISS
NASA Langley student space art contest winners
Earlier this month NASA Langley announced the winning entrants in a space art competition: Winners of 2020 NASA Langley Student Art Contest Named | NASA The winners of NASA’s Langley Research Center’s 2020 Student Art Contest have been selected out of nearly 1,300 entries from 40 states and Puerto Rico. This year’s contest received a … Continue reading NASA Langley student space art contest winners