Friday, February 18, 2011

A Bit Idealistic

Speaking of space in the '80s, here is a commemorative painting of the ill-fated Challenger shuttle by the eminent space artist Robert McCall. What a sad and horrifying tragedy that was, what, some 25 years ago? One of those events where you know where you were when you first heard about it. I even remember the weather, the time of day, how everything looked around me. This painting is a bit idealistic, which of course is what McCall's body of work was.

Robert McCall — The Spirit of Challenger — 1995

Case in point, here below—a glimpse of the future in 2050. I'm all for space exploration, but this scenario bugs me with the thought of so many people in such a hurry to get from one side of the world to the other, just to get stuck in a traffic jam leaving the aeroport, just to get to their important meetings and their rat race lives.

Okay, I'm being cynical, but truly I think that our future lives should go the direction of simpler and slower, to be satisfied with less. I dunno, check back with me in 39 years and we'll compare notes with how it's going.

Robert McCall — Rocketplane 2050 — 1996
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2 comments:

  1. AnnieFebruary 18, 2011 at 7:07 PM

    My husband and I were talking about Challenger, the day of the tragedy's Anniversary. I was standing on the sidewalk outside of our then apartment with a pair of binoculars, while he was at work a few miles away. He was the only one from his office, outside and also watching. I saw the shuttle do a fiery split, rather than the typical drop-off of the stages, and I remember saying to myself, that doesn't look right. I ran back upstairs and saw the news coverage, paralyzed in disbelief like everyone else.

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  2. james vaughanFebruary 20, 2011 at 9:48 PM

    ... I am a great fan of McCall. But his late work is just too silly and hippy-dippy.

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