Yusaku Maezawa Has Lofty Goals For His ‘DearMoon’ Art Project And Other Artists Share Their Views
On September 17, Elon Musk made the exciting announcement that Japanese billionaire Yusaku Maezawa was the individual that was chosen to fly on a rocket around the moon in 2023, and now Maezawa has decided that other artists should also accompany him on the 238,900 mile journey, with his special hashtag “dearMoon” project set up to get these artists inspired.
As Space reported, Yusaku Maezawa has decided to fill the SpaceX rocket he will be circling the moon in with other artists.
“I did not want to have such a fantastic experience by myself. That would be a little lonely. I don’t like being alone, so I want to share these experiences and things with as many people as possible, so that is why I choose to go to the moon with artists!”
Many in the field of science believe that Maezawa’s goal of bringing artists together to create works of art that are inspired by the moon is a wholly good thing.
“The thing that makes me happiest about this is it’s bringing together space and art, which I think are just two naturally complimentary things,” according to NASA astronaut Nicole Stott.
It should be noted that before becoming an astronaut, Stott herself was also an artist, and truly believes that those with technical expertise at NASA are also artists at heart.
“This community is also a very artistic one, and so when we think about sending artists to the moon or around it, I love it, I really love it, but I think built into our astronaut, our technical community is a really wonderful group of artists.”
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) September 18, 2018
Other artists are also embracing Yusaku Maezawa’s vision of taking artists with him on his journey to the moon, with Chapman University professor and artist Lia Halloran explaining that science and art are very closely intertwined in many ways, and that the #dearMoon art project will demonstrate this.
“Symbolically, I think it’s thrilling to start a dialogue that science is kind of included in the humanities for the continuing exploration of our moon. The stars are for everyone and whether the expedition really happens or not, I’m just happy to hear the announcement and see what comes of it.”
Some artists, on the other hand, seem a little dubious about the #dearMoon project.
“As an artist, it makes me a little bit uncomfortable. I take from caricatured depictions of artists in the presentation and the tone of ‘sending artists’ that it’s thinking about artists in a marketing sense as opposed to what artists are actually doing,” Heidi Neilson explained.
With 2023 not that far away now, and the SpaceX rocket yet to be built, there will be plenty of time for Yusaku Maezawa to inspire artists and pick those who will travel with him on his voyage around the moon, where the #dearMoon project will finally really and truly begin.
