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To Boldly Paint What No Man Has Painted Before

Posted by michael on from the acrylic-or-oil-based dept.

David Mazzotta writes "It's not just Sci-Fi authors who have had influence on space technologies. Artist Chesley Bonestell produced beautiful space-art that inspiried people from Sagan to Heinlein."

2 of 75 comments (clear)

  1. This guy's art and why I hate being an artist. by SeverianDragon · · Score: 5, Interesting

    I have seen this artist before, I've run across him numerous times on the covers of sci-fi novels and in sci-fi and sci-fa magazines. I think his work is just beautiful. His inspiration? Space and progress, best as I can understand it.

    Unfortunately, this sort of art wouldn't fly in the "serious" art world. Not only is it tied to "main-stream" books and publications on space, but also to the sub-culture of Science Fiction genre writing. Ironically enough, the college that I attend looks down upon any person who does Genre Fiction. But I digress too much.

    Favorite Rant: The Art World today, is confused. It is full of artists, critics, curators and gallery managers who scrabble after the false god of "Art Has A Message". Sure it does. But is the artist required to draw a sodding road map?!? I know my professors will want me to do so for my senior show.

    Like I said before. Love the work! It's beautiful, expansive (both physically and temporally), and (dare I say?!? [dare! dare!]) pure(?). Would that artists of his calibre were more accepted in both the main-stream as forward thinking and artists-for-everyone. And in the art world as the master-artists they are, if only the art world could drop the pretentious BS that they have swallowed with their chocolate-covered strawberries and red wine at every art opening.

    --
    Once more into the birch deer fiends!
    1. Re:This guy's art and why I hate being an artist. by Angry+Toad · · Score: 5, Insightful

      I think it reflects badly on the academic art world, not art in general, that this man's work cannot be taken seriously. His work was appreciated by millions and influenced the vision of the universe of entire generations.

      Isn't that pretty much the definition of great art?

      There's a distinct snobbery at work here, but in the end who really cares - his work did what it set out to do.