"One Small Step for Man, One Giant Leap for Mankind" Art Analysis: Mid-Modern

Foreword: I personally believe that the Cold War has been one of the most tumultuous times in human history. Continuously, the world was perched on the edge of nuclear annihilation as the U.S. and Soviet Union raced to harness the true might of atomic power. In addition, the possibility of another worldwide struggle loomed overhead, as the numerous proxy wars fought throughout this era pitched multiple national superpowers against one another. However, for all of this fear and conspiracy, we as a species still found a way to come together, all in the pursuit of knowledge. After generations of watching from afar, longing to walk among the heavenly bodies above us, mankind finally found a way to reach out and touch them. Powerful rockets, trajectory computers, and the bravest souls known to the modern world would punch through the Earth’s atmosphere, defeating its fierce gravity, and claim our place within the stars. The Space Age, along with the Atomic Era, was extremely fascinating to me as a child; its awesome artwork and beautiful renditions of the “unknown” finding a place in my heart. Beyond that, the idea of space travel has always been symbolic to me, and interestingly I believe that President Nixon captured my sentiment best in an emotional speech that written but never spoke. The following is an excerpt from In the Event of Moon Disaster:

[Had Apollo 11 Failed] … there is no hope for their recovery. But they also know that there is hope for mankind in their sacrifice. These two men are laying down their lives in mankind’s most noble goal: the search for truth and understanding. […] In their exploration, they stirred the people of the world to feel as one; in their sacrifice, they bind more tightly the brotherhood of man. […] Others will follow, and surely find their way home. Man's search will not be denied. But these men were the first, and they will remain the foremost in our hearts. For every human being who looks up at the moon in the nights to come will know that there is some corner of another world that is forever mankind. (National Archives).

“Somewhere, something incredible is waiting to be known.” – Sharon Begley

        I have always found it ironic how something so destructive as war, can still yield such incredible discoveries. In our conquest to destroy one another, we managed to find ways to build one another up, to stride further and further in the fields of science. Slowly, the ash of two massive global conflicts settled, but sadly central Europe was once again consumed by another “war,” the Cold War. From this conflict rose the Atomic Age, which had thrown the world’s population into to a pit of fear, after witnessing the terrible might of two atomic bombs that reduced the cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki into smoldering shadows. Quickly, the U.S. and her allies started a global race to ensure they had a secure lead in nuclear power, hoping to discourage any Soviet Aggression – but this was far from reality. Overnight nuclear stockpiles grew exponentially, and soon a series of atomic disasters shook nations throughout the world.

          As the Atomic Age continued motivating governments to perfect nuclear strike capability and the possibility of removing a global superpower swiftly, some in scientific community chose to look up and away from war. The Soviet government sought to capitalize on this new outlook and hoped to own the skies above. However, curiously their ambition would not be achieved by developing a new supersonic fighter or surpassing the Americans in developing nuclear-powered bombers – rather it would be accomplished by crossing into the void of space with small, unassuming object. In 1957, the Soviets launched a small, titanium sphere – not even 2 feet in diameter – into low earth orbit; this was the Earth’s first artificial satellite, Sputnik 1. Appalled by the Soviets new capability, the United States government quickly met to discuss the nation’s response to such the perceived threat. With consensus among scientists, military leaders and tacticians, and numerous politicians, President Eisenhower signed into legislation a dedicated federal agency that would establish the U.S. as the leader in space exploration. This agency would be known as the National Aeronautics Space Administration, or NASA. Now, due to the scope of the post, I am unable to detail the fascinating history of the “Space Race” in depth, but I do want to highlight one important aspect of this international competition – Humanity. Though its conception during the Eisenhower administration was strongly motivated for strategic means, President John F. Kennedy expressed that NASA, and space travel as a whole, could be more. He told the American people that space was a domain beyond war, only meant for man to understand its place amongst the stars, where freedom reigns for all:

For the eyes of the world now look into space, to the moon and to the planets beyond, and we have vowed that we shall not see it governed by a hostile flag of conquest, but by a banner of freedom and peace. We have vowed that we shall not see space filled with weapons of mass destruction, but with instruments of knowledge and understanding. (Mike Wall).

           Yes, the strategic motivation was still there for the federal government, as the Soviet Union continued to be a significant threat against the U.S. and its western allies, but to the American people – it reignited our thirst for exploration. Soon, artists across the globe created beautiful pieces that attempted to depict the surfaces of alien worlds. They provided their own representations of the “space-man” and his incredible “rocket ship” that he used to journey through the cosmos.

This art would embody the very essence of the Space Age.

“The Earth is the cradle of humanity, but mankind cannot stay in the cradle forever.” – Konstantin Tsiolkovsky

2001, c.1967 by Robert McCall, part of the Newer Worlds collection. Painted in the United States.

Aerospace Port, c.1971 by Robert McCall, part of the Floating Worlds collection. Painted in the United States. 

Robert McCall: These first two works come from one of the most influential artists during the Space Age, Robert McCall. According to the McCall Studios website, he was given a "front row seat" to watch the agency's progress in space exploration. During a period, spanning more than 35 years, McCall captured the very essence of "American Spirit" and our nation's drive to succeed in the space race; however, he did not just depict our country's significant achievements, his artwork also detailed mankind's curiosity. From floating cities to surreal landscapes, he painted beautiful pieces that sparked imagination and the thrill of adventure; his amazing talent even got the attention of famed director, Stanley Kubrick, who commissioned the artist to produce promotion material and concept art for Kubrick's legendary film: 2001, A Space Odyssey.

Ship Ready for Return Trip, c.1948 by Chesley Bonestell. Painted in the United States. 

Saturn as seen from Mimas, c.1943, by Chesley Bonestell. Painted in the United States. 

Chesley Bonestell: Before Robert McCall revolutionized the world astronomical art, Chesley Bonestell had spent decades depicting the view of our solar system from our celestial neighbors. During the 1940's, and into the 1950's, Bonestell had already sparked the American populations' interest in the prospect of space exploration with his breathtaking artwork that was featured in famed science fiction magazines like Astounding Science Fiction and The Magazine of Fantasy and Science Fiction. (Bonestell.org) His pieces portrayed fantastic adventures that explorers experienced during their interstellar travels, and even as space travel became a reality, his continue to use his artistic talent to give mankind a view into the cosmos. 

A Comet with a Tail, c.1937 by Charles Bittinger. Painted in the United States.

Earth as Seen from the Moon, c.1939 by Charles Bittinger. Painted in the United States. 

Charles Bittinger: 

    “I came to feel more than ever that astronomy is the greatest monument to human intelligence, which has explored out into unimaginable depths of space with nothing more tangible than the fragile waves of light.” (Bittinger, National Geographic). 

This was said by Charles Bittinger when asked to reflect on his 1939 commission, by the National Geographic, to paint art that would allow the nation to visualize the space around us. Bittinger had already established a reputation for astounding depictions of nearby planets and even our home, Earth. His art would received massive praise after mankind reached the edge of space in 1961, and the surface of the moon in 1969; this celebration of Bittinger was due to how surprisingly accurate his 30 year old commission was, especially when compared to Apollo 11's photographs of the surface. 

Like the Stars, Art is made up of Elements

Tone: Hands down my favorite element across all of the artwork related to the Space Age; it perfectly captures the the intensity of space travel and exploration. Now obviously I am not talking about the intensity of some "pulse-pounding" thrill ride, although I would assume that a space shuttle's launch provides that for an astronaut, rather this intensity I mention comes from the sudden realization of how small we are in this expansive universe. It is the overwhelming sensation of "vastness;" the understanding that we are but minute creatures to these astronomical giants. Mankind has always believed that it is the most dominating power in nature, that we cannot be bested be any other force - creature or environment. As we evolved, expanding both our knowledge and technology, we continually conquered aspects of Earth that were thought to be impossible, such as summiting Mt. Everest to exploring the deepest parts of the Mariana Trench to harnessing the power of subatomic energy; all of these achievements give our species the idea that we are invulnerable. Once we had crossed into the blackness of space, suddenly all of our impressive achievements were mute, and we finally realized just how magnificent and power this universe truly was. But, the human spirit is steadfast, and when faced with opposition, we rise to overcome and advance forward.

            All three of the artists chose to capture this intensity of space by using dramatic clashes of unfiltered sunlight and the deep, dark shadow; some of these contrasts are found in places like the broadside of the massive spaceship and towering mountains featured in Bonestell's work. These examples truly represent vastness; the rocket is probably a few hundred feet tall, yet the insignificant hills of this alien planet still overtake it and cast a dark shadow on it. As for the mountains, they tower over Mimas' landscape and these extremely small blue figures, maybe man or structure. As the Sun's vibrant light shines on them, you can appreciate their fantastic detail, despite their far distance from the foreground - and this helps demonstrates their insane size.

Color: Unlike historical art, which utilized color to symbolize specific emotion or important cultural meaning, Space Age artists used vibrant colors to help portray the awesome beauty of cosmic bodies and formations. Charles Bittinger's, A Comet with a Tail, is my favorite use of color in the works I featured, as the deep twilight blue of the sky reminds me of when I used to 'star-watch' in my childhood. Living in small, desert town allowed me to escape the light pollution of a city, granting me the opportunity to gaze at the thousands of celestial bodies that are scattered across the night sky - on the clearest nights, it was even possible to faintly see the arms of our own Milky Way galaxy. His other work, Earth as Seen from the Moon, does an astounding job depicting the desolace of Moon's surface, using bright white and dark grey sand to show how no life resides on our natural satellite. Bonestell's, Saturn as seen from Mimas, also has an excellent use of color in the form of the distinct striations in Saturn's atmosphere. Chesley Bonestell expertly captured how various gaseous elements fail to mix when contained together, while still retaining the "natural brushstrokes" that seem to appear on the face of the planet.

Texture: All of these works have a great sense of realism, I feel as though I'm looking at an edited photo from a rover, or probe, that is nestled on the surface of these fascinating worlds. McCall and Bonestell both portray their worlds as arid and desert like, having huge rigid lines and mountains littered throughout the scene. These terrestrial features have sharp, jagged rocks which create a sense of danger for the viewer, who knows this terrain poses a danger for their Earthly visitors. However, not all of the landscape features an unforgiven and rough terrain, such as Earth as Seen from the Moon, where the surface has a grey, glassy look in the areas void of coarse, white sand. Aerospace Port reminds of the Mojave desert I grew up in, which had soft "poof-dirt" that would generate massive dust storms and infamous 'dust devils' when the winds came over valley walls. Perhaps my favorite use of texture is in McCall's 2001, as it does a remarkable job of depicting the machined aluminum hull of a space station. The orbiting vessel has piping (filled with fuel or powerlines) stretching all acrossed it and service hatches on every visible surface, contributing to how human this artificial satellite is. I can picture the interior, painted in bright white and filled with switchboards, relays, computers, sensor modules, etc.; it is obvious the inspiration works like 2001 on modern day design for science fiction (and real life) space craft.

 

References

Archives, National. “In Event of Moon Disaster.” National Archives and Records Administration, National Archives and Records Administration, 15 Aug. 2016, https://www.archives.gov/presidential-libraries/events/centennials/nixon/exhibit/nixon-online-exhibit-disaster.html.

Chaikin, Andrew. “Stargazing and Remembering Robert McCall.” NPR, NPR, 12 Mar. 2010, https://www.npr.org/2010/03/12/124588185/stargazing-and-remembering-robert-mccall.

Logsdon, John M.. "Chesley Bonestell". Encyclopedia Britannica, 7 Jun. 2022, https://www.britannica.com/biography/Chesley-Bonestell. Accessed 24 July 2022.

Studios, McCall. “2001.” McCall Studios, 2022, https://www.mccallstudios.com/newer-worlds/

Studios, McCall. “Aerospace Port.” McCall Studios, 2022, https://www.mccallstudios.com/floating-worlds/.

Unknown, Unknown. “Bonestell - about Chesley Bonestell.” Chesley Bonestell, 2022, https://www.bonestell.org/About-Chesley-Bonestell.aspx.

Wall, Mike. “JFK's 'Moon Speech' Still Resonates 50 Years Later.” Space.com, Space, 12 Sept. 2012, https://www.space.com/17547-jfk-moon-speech-50years-anniversary.html.

Zuckerman, Catherine. “Before We Explored Outer Space, We Tried to Paint It.” Science, National Geographic, 3 May 2021, https://www.nationalgeographic.com/science/article/before-we-explored-space-we-tried-to-paint-it-charles-bittinger.