New exhibit showcases range of space art

Artwork on display in Cold War Gallery until Sept. 26
A new space art exhibit titled “The Beauty of Space” will open at the National Museum of the U.S. Air Force on Feb. 26. Artwork featured in this illustration include “The Pillars of Creation, A Stellar Nursery” by Robin Hart and “Horsehead and Flame Nebulae” by Kenneth Naiff. CONTRIBUTED GRAPHIC

A new space art exhibit titled “The Beauty of Space” will open at the National Museum of the U.S. Air Force on Feb. 26. Artwork featured in this illustration include “The Pillars of Creation, A Stellar Nursery” by Robin Hart and “Horsehead and Flame Nebulae” by Kenneth Naiff. CONTRIBUTED GRAPHIC

A new space art exhibit titled “The Beauty of Space” will open at the National Museum of the U.S. Air Force on Feb. 26. The exhibit is hosted by museum in conjunction with the International Association of Astronomical Artists.

On display in the museum’s Cold War Gallery, the exhibit will include 49 pieces in varying mediums from 20 artists. IAAA selected the artwork for the exhibition through a jury process and features such topics as space missions, spacecraft, astronauts, planets, constellations, nebulas and galaxies.

Just as 19th century painters used art to spark exploration of the American West, space artists today use the latest scientific research to create works that inspire our journeys into the next frontier. As humankind seeks to uncover the mysteries contained in the far reaches of the universe, space art seeks to show us what we may find.

This exhibit is on display through Sept. 26. Admission and parking are free. IAAA is a non-profit organization whose members implement and participate in astronomical and space art projects, promote education about space art and foster international cooperation in artistic work inspired by the exploration of the universe.

Founded in 1982, IAAA was formally registered as an association of astronomical artists in 1986. Since its founding, IAAA has grown to number over 120 members, representing twenty countries. (Federal endorsement is not implied.)

The National Museum of the U.S. Air Force, located at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, is the world’s largest military aviation museum. With free admission and parking, the museum features more than 350 aerospace vehicles and missiles and thousands of artifacts amid more than 19 acres of indoor exhibit space. Each year more than 800,000 visitors from around the world come to the museum.

For more information, visit www.nationalmuseum.af.mil.

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