Behind the ‘Artist’s Rendition’ – Art, Illustration, and the Space Age

Abstract

As long as humanity has dreamed of other worlds and how we might get there, artists have been inspired to imagine and depict these worlds and what such amazing journeys might look like. Before the age of modern photography, explorers were frequently accompanied by artists who created drawings and paintings of the unknown regions. This trend continued into the Space Age, when artists were tapped to help visualize the space environment in the absence of cameras capable of reaching alien planets. “Behind the ‘Artist’s Rendition’ – Art, Illustration, and the Space Age” looks at the history of twentieth-century astronomical illustration and space art, focusing on its role as both cultural artefact and a form of scientific visualization. I will examine how these illustrations have impacted popular culture. My talk will use the history and legacy of the International Association of Astronomical Artists (IAAA), founded in the early 1980s, to structure its chronology. The IAAA, a guild that professionalized around the accurate representations of space, was behind some of the most iconic depictions of space produced during the United States’ exploration of the outer solar system. The IAAA, which still exists today, still collaborates closely with the astronomical and space exploration communities.

A short bio

Aldo Spadoni is an aerospace engineer-futurist with over 40 years of experience supporting advanced NASA, DARPA, and US DoD programs. He created and managed an award-winning visualization team at Northrop Grumman. He is a team recipient of NASA’s Turning Goals Into Reality award and has several US patents to his credit. His consulting company, Aerospace Imagineering, specializes in the conceptual design and visualization of advanced aerospace technology concepts. Aldo is an accomplished artist, illustrator and concept designer. He is the former President of the International Association of Astronomical Artists (IAAA). As a Hollywood technical consultant, he supported the production of APOLLO 13, STEALTH, IRON MAN 1 & 2, and other movie projects. He is currently the spacecraft technical advisor on the upcoming interstellar adventure film, PERSEPHONE, and the SPACE:1999 EAGLE documentary. Aldo’s personal goals are to promote STEAM education and create compelling visions of humanity’s spacefaring future.

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