Tag Archives: Neil Armstrong

Art

Moon Landing Included Lunaprise Museum First Beyond Earth

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New York City – February, 2024 – In a historic moment that marks a significant milestone in the intersection of art, music, and space exploration, the Lunaprise Museum proudly announced the successful lunar landing of artworks as part of SpaceBlue’s’ curated and managed archive on the recent Lunar Lander as part of the historic space mission. Though not the first art project to involve the Moon (reported here by us July 2019), it is the first art project to remain on the Moon.

Among the historic pioneers is a pioneering trio: designer/artist Kelly Max, artist Samy Halim, and music producer/artist Brayden Pierce. This momentous event sees these creative visionaries become among the first artists in history to archive their works in the form of digital twins on the moon for over a billion years in a nano fiche disk, establishing a lasting legacy that transcends the boundaries of Earth.

A New Horizon for Art and Music

With the successful landing of the Lunar Lander on February 22, 2024 at 6:23PM EST the Lunar Landing has achieved a groundbreaking feat by hosting the first museum on the moon called Lunaprise. Among its prized collections are the collaborative efforts of Kelly Max and Samy Halim on the Modernist Art project, and Brayden Pierce’s musical compositions that have resonated with themes of space exploration and innovation.

The Modernist Art collection, highlighted by the “MoonRider” piece carrying 180 names pivotal to the artists’ journey, alongside a comprehensive collection of 420 Modernist Originals and 9,724 generative Modernist Genesis Artworks, represents a significant contribution to this lunar museum. Selected by Curator SpaceBlue and launched on February 15, 2024, these artworks not only celebrate the creative spirit but also symbolize human achievement and aspiration.

This nickel disc containing compressed files of the artwork is now curated on the Moon.

Kelly Max’s contributions to the Lunaprise Museum mission extend far beyond his collaboration with Samy Halim on the Modernist Art project. Together, Kelly and Samy designed the Lunaprise Mission Patch, a symbol of human creativity and resilience in the face of the vast unknown. Kelly’s visionary approach didn’t stop there; his role expanded as he became the lead designer for all key brand communications for the mission, showcasing his leadership and creative expertise in shaping the mission’s identity.

Brayden Pierce: Echoing Through Space

Introduced to the Lunaprise Museum mission by Kelly, Brayden Pierce’s artistic contributions have carved a unique niche in the halls of space history. As the first-ever EDM artist to have his music on the moon, Brayden Pierce’s “Capture The Moon” is immortalized on the moon in two versions: The Modernist Edition and the MOOON.PARTY Mix. This collaboration with Kelly underscores a synergy between the two creatives which exploded into the founding of MOOON.PARTY: a visionary venture that aims to blend art, music, space, and space content recording into a pioneering festival brand. This initiative, co-founded by Kelly and Brayden, is set to redefine immersive entertainment experiences, leveraging the backdrop of space to inspire and captivate audiences worldwide.

“Bringing art and music to the lunar surface goes beyond exploration; it signifies embedding humanity’s creative essence into the fabric of the cosmos. This endeavor isn’t merely a step forward for us as individual artists but represents a monumental leap for global art and culture. Collaborating with Samy, Brayden, and the Lunaprise Museum on this mission has unfolded as a profound journey of discovery, unity, and limitless creativity. Together, we’ve ignited a beacon of human expression on the moon, casting light across the cosmos to inspire future generations to dream beyond the confines of our known world. This project mirrors the moon’s impartial gaze upon Earth, reminding us that in its light, we are all seen equally. Our ultimate aim is to embody this universal perspective, fostering a tangible sense of unity on Earth, now enriched by the presence of art and music in the lunar realm.” adds Kelly Max.

Legacy Beyond the Stars

The Lunaprise Museum landing not only signifies the establishment of the first museum beyond Earth but also serves as a beacon of human creativity and ingenuity. Lunaprise is leading a historic disruption in space tech, leveraging patented technologies to archive and authenticate digital assets using blockchain, heralding the convergence of space exploration and digital technology. Collectors of music and art will delight in rare, verified assets that are one-of-a-kind, linked to identical twin digital files stored in the Lunaprise museum on the moon.  The artworks of Kelly Max, Samy Halim and Brayden Pierce, now permanently archived on the lunar surface, stand as a testament to the boundless potential of artistic expression. Their achievements herald a new era where art and music extend their reach into the cosmos, inspiring future generations to dream big and reach beyond the known limits.

For The Silo, Gabriela Gutiérrez.

Comics

Alt History Graphic Novel Has Russians On The Moon

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Real life: In the 1960’s Communist Russia and the United States were in a race to be the first nation to safely land a man on the Moon.

Nicolas Wetterwald’s latest graphic novel mixes the real life with what-if and serves up an enjoying account of an alternate history: one where the USSR beats the Americans and lands a cosmonaut on the Moon. Based in fact as much as imagination, many readers will be surprised to learn just how close the ‘race to the Moon’ was. The Russians bet everything on a mighty N1 rocket that differed from the American Saturn V by relying on a complicated massive ring cluster of thirty engines, each one dependent on the other in order for a successful launch to occur. Development began on the N1 in 1959 and by 1968 US reconnaissance satellite photographs showed that the Russians were (almost) ready to launch.

Looking at the book cover there is something warmly familiar about Wetterwald’s drawing style. It took me a minute to place it. There is a strong Jean Giraud (Moebius) influence- especially his spacesuit and futuristic designs from his Heavy Metal magazine panels.

Astronaut by Moebius

The story begins with a crisis and then a flashback in a fine style of writing that serves the form of graphic novels very well. Text ‘balloons’ are clearly differentiated between characters thoughts and conversations. This creates a fitting lonely mood- unlike the Americans, the Russians planned on sending a single cosmonaut to the Moon surface. There is also an ingenious use of text ‘balloons’ with small lightning like points to signify an electronic transmission or radio transmission. Small details like this create an eerie atmosphere and it is easy to relate to the protagonist.

Don’t be fooled into thinking that this comic is more documentary than entertainment. It has a brisk pace and the setting of Cold War Russia makes for an almost spy like setting. There are adult themes to be enjoyed here too- and this graphic novel is targeted appropriately towards adults.

There is much to like about Nicolas Wetterwald’s 1969 The Phantom Odyssey especially as we find ourselves celebrating the approaching fiftieth anniversary of the successful first landing of man on the Moon. With all the hype and nostalgia around that landmark event the release of this comic book couldn’t have been planned better. Hard copy recommended and available from Amazon ISBN 9781793906069 or try the Kindle edition for only $7.49 USD. For the Silo, Jarrod Barker.

Art

Armstrong’s Heartbeat As Merged Artwork Beamed To Moon

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image: space.com
“For me It was an incredible feeling to use this 120 ton radio dish, capable of peering into the far reaches of the universe, to create an artwork focusing on one of the greatest achievements in human history” Richard Clar image: space.com

Los Angeles, CA, – Richard Clar using an earth-moon-earth (EME), or moon bounce as it is also called, radioed two very special signals off the surface of the moon where their return was received at Dwingeloo Radio Observatory in the Netherlands.

Clar’s extraordinary two-part project, Giant Step and Lune sur la Lune, paid tribute respectively to Apollo Astronaut pioneer Neil Armstrong’s first step on the moon on July 20, 1969 and to the far side of the moon itself, something witnessed only by a rare group of individuals, the Apollo Astronauts. The two radio transmissions to the moon and back emanated from a radio dish in Italy.

Giant Step is a personal response to an event Clar personally witnessed back in 1969, and he wanted to use his creativity to pay tribute to those who took part in the Apollo program, and especially Neil Armstrong for what he did on that momentous day.

He wanted this work to say something about the moon itself, using the moon.

His interest was piqued after hearing about an earth-moon-earth bounce (EME) from Italian artist and colleague, Daniela de Paulis, who together with radio specialist Jan van Muijlwijk developed the process of using EME to send images to the moon and back in 2009. As he researched the Apollo Archives, he came across an Electrocardiogram (EKG) of Neil Armstrong as he took the first step on the moon on July 20, 1969 – and Richard found his inspiration!

While data scientist Dr. Ryan Compton created the sonification tone from Armstrong’s actual EKG graph, prominent Los Angeles-based double-bass jazz performer and composer Roberto Miranda used the tone to create compelling sounds that have been called “edgy and hauntingly beautiful.”

In addition, an image of the first footprint on the moon was transmitted and bounced back to Dwingeloo. [Listen to Neil Armstrong’s heartbeat beginning at the 2:10 mark here Ed.]

“I wanted the art to say something about the first humans to set foot on the moon. Think how many living beings have observed the moon for eons…and now we have made a number of trips to the moon and back. I want people to have new experiences through my artwork,” says Clar.

Lune sur la Lune, an image of the far side of the moon, was transmitted in a poetic gesture onto the earth facing side of the moon. Since only the Apollo astronauts have seen the far side of the moon, using the radio-reflective surface of the moon to produce a site-specific artwork makes the moon a unique part of the process rather than just a subject matter ─ and also gives people on earth an opportunity to witness this phenomenal event and experience the moon in a new and different way.  Shortly after the sound and image from Giant Step and Lune sur la Lune were received and processed at Dwingeloo, and will soon be accessible to the world at www.rockthemoon.com.

There was considerable excitement at the Dwingeloo Radio Dish on September 26th by those who witnessed the sound signal and image signals being received from the surface of the moon after the moon bounce. All in all, the art mission was a great success.

“For me It was an incredible feeling to use this 120 ton radio dish, capable of peering into the far reaches of the universe, to create an artwork focusing on one of the greatest achievements in human history,” stated Clar.

Richard Clar’s timeless work has been exhibited in museums, galleries and universities throughout the United States and Europe. His visionary ‘art in space’ began in 1982 with a NASA-approved concept for an art-payload for the U.S. Space Shuttle. Philosophical in nature, many of Clar’s themes originate in space environment issues, such as orbital debris, war and peace, the Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence (SETI), and water management on earth.

Clar studied at the Chouinard Art Institute (now Cal-Arts). In 2001 and 2002, he coordinated the Leonardo/OLATS/IAA Space Art Workshops in Paris. Clar is the Director of Art Technologies; a Member of the International Academy of Astronautics (IAA); a Member of the IAA SETI Permanent Study Group; a Member of Women in Aerospace, and a Member of the Leonardo Space Art Working Group. He was the Secretary of the former Art and Literature Subcommittee of the International Academy of Astronautics, and a past Member of the Executive Board, Graphic Arts Council, the Los Angeles County Museum of Art.

An early example of Richard Clar's Space Art
An early example of Richard Clar’s Space Art

Richard Clar ArtistClar founded Art Technologies in 1987 as a liaison between the worlds of art and technology. By collaborating with such partners as the U.S. Naval Research Laboratory, Boeing Aerospace Corporation, and contemporary composers, Clar generates high-visibility art works that transform state-of-the-art technology and highly-engineered materials into evocative contemporary art. His work is found in many corporate collections, including JBL Sound, Home Savings of America, and the MGM Grand Hotel in Las Vegas.

After spending the last fourteen years in Paris, Richard Clar now resides in Northern California. For more information on his extraordinary artwork, please visit:

http://arttechnologies.com
http://rockthemoon.com
https://www.facebook.com/RichardClar.ArtTechnologies