Hutchinson, Kan. – May 10, 2014, two new temporary exhibits will be on display in the Cosmosphere’s Hall of Space Museum. “The Art and Science of Conservation” will be located in the entrance of the museum through July 31, 2014, and “A New Flight Path for Liberty Bell 7” will be on display in the Mollett Early Spaceflight Gallery.
Art Meets Science
“The Art and Science of Conservation” represents the culmination of an educational initiative, made possible by a grant from ALCOA foundation. It features art created by students inspired by the massive Apollo F-1 engines currently undergoing conservation by the Cosmosphere’s SpaceWorks team. The Cosmosphere’s objective with this program was to engage students on field trips to the museum through visual arts to think, focus, translate, interpret and finally present their own artwork and process to peers and other observers, thereby tying art to science while inspiring students to a deeper body of study, and building future workers in the fields of manufacturing, architecture, engineering, science and related fields. Upon their arrival, school groups were treated to a brief history of the Saturn V with an emphasis on the F-1 engines and how the Moon missions shaped our artistic perception of the Earth. They then toured the Hall of Space Museum, learning both the human story behind the artifacts and the important distinctions between restoration and conservation. Next, the students traveled in small groups to SpaceWorks to observe the conservation process firsthand. Finally, upon returning to their classrooms, students were challenged to create artwork inspired by what they learned and witnessed during their trip. The creations of these students are a true representation of the benefits of combining science with the arts.
A dedicated group of Kansas educators joined forces with the Cosmosphere to develop extensive lesson plans and resources for use by teachers in their classrooms prior to their on-site visits: Dr. Paul Adams (Teacher Education, Fort Hays State University; Hays, KS), Jeanette Bosch (Christ the King; Wichita, KS), Sarah Medlam (Dean Ray Stucky Middle School; Wichita, KS), Ginger Merlau (Mayberry Cultural and Fine Arts Magnet Middle School; Mayfield, KS), John Ross (Director of Forsyth Library, Fort Hays State University; Hays, KS), Melissae Stiles (Concordia Schools; Concordia, KS), Jenny Thayer-Wood (Blue Valley; Marysville, KS), and Joel Walker (Wichita Collegiate; Wichita, KS). A very special thanks goes out to Dr. Paul Adams and John Ross of Fort Hays State University for their work in guiding the group behind the scenes.
“The educational benefits of combining the arts and sciences are unmistakable,” said Tom Holcomb, Cosmosphere Director of Education and Box Office Operations. “Watching these students light up as those connections were made, seeing the inspiration in action and then viewing their creations…it’s why we do what we do, and it drives us to continue to create new, interactive educational programs for these kids.”
A reception for contributing artists and their families, teachers, Cosmosphere members and their guests will take place in the Cosmosphere’s Lunar Outpost May 10, 2014 from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m.
For more information on becoming a Cosmosphere member, go here.
Farewell to Liberty Bell 7
“A New Flight Path for Liberty Bell 7,” is an exhibit highlighting this remarkable piece of the Cosmosphere’s collection with supporting artifacts recovered from the craft during the restoration process. The exhibit gives visitors a rare glimpse into the personal side of Grissom’s memorable spaceflight, featuring survival gear and personal effects found in Liberty Bell 7 during the recovery and restored by the SpaceWorks team.
The exhibit will serve as a send-off for the Mercury capsule, which will be removed from the Hall of Space Museum to prepare to travel to Bonn, Germany June 30, 2014. Once in Bonn, it will be displayed, temporarily, at The Art and Exhibition Hall of the Federal Republic of Germany, as part of “Outer Space: The Space Between Art and Science.” Created in cooperation with the German Aerospace Center (DLR), “Outer Space” will be on display October 3, 2014, through February 22, 2015.
DLR (Deutsches Zentrum für Luft und Raumfahrt) is the national aeronautics and space research center of the Federal Republic of Germany. Its extensive research and development work in aeronautics, space, energy, transport and security is integrated into national and international cooperative ventures. In addition to its own research, as Germany’s space agency, DLR has been given responsibility by the federal government for the planning and implementation of the German space program.
Since 1992, The Art and Exhibition Hall of the Federal Republic of Germany has hosted important exhibitions in the fields of art, cultural history, archaeology, science and technology. From ‘Napoleon and Europe’, ‘Masterpieces of Classical Modernism’ and ‘Byzantium’ to ‘The surviving treasures of Afghanistan’, ‘Global Change’ and ‘Arctic – Antarctic’, the program is as multifaceted as the interests of its visitors. The gallery’s forum hosts conferences, symposiums, readings, performances, film screenings, plays and dance performances, and Museumsplatz square serves as a venue for summer concerts.
For more information on The Art and Exhibition Hall of the Federal Republic of Germany and “Outer Space: The Space Between Art and Science,” visit http://www.bundeskunsthalle.de/en/home.html
