“We are delighted to be working in association with the International Association of Astronomical Artists, who will be participating in the project!”
About the International Association of Astronomical Artists
The IAAA is the world's only guild of artists dedicated to creating images of space. We paint, draw, sculpture, blow glass, and move pixels to show galaxies, stars, planets, moons, anywhere that the imagination can go, but a camera cannot (yet!). Join now!
Not everyone will want to film or photograph the Eclipse and in many ways photography is not the best way to capture the subtly of the fainter elements of the corona. In the past, artists would paint, sketch or draw what they witnessed. Many of this "artistic" impressions rival the best imaging we can do today photographically.
#ArtTheEclipse is a CALL to all the ARTISTS across the country to bring to bear their talents to image the eclipse in the way that they will experience it. There is no doubt that the Human Eye, married to the Human Brain is the most effective optical system for fully experiencing totality. While photography is a great way to "capture the moment", no one who witnesses totality for themselves believes that even the best photo does justice to the vision of the eclipse and the corona.
Prior to heading off to Indonesia for the March 9th 2016 Total Eclipse event, I was testing the iPhone rig with a 20x add-on lens by photographing the full moon. That same night, Leslie Kothmann was (unbeknownst to me) also painting the same full moon that she was observing. I thought it was very telling to note the difference between the view of the exact same event as captured by a photography and as captured by an artist. That night was the origin of the #ArtTheEclipse project. While we encourage "the artist" to try and capture the August 21st 2017 Eclipse Across America in a very exactly way by attempting to recreate exactly what they have seen, we are also looking for any artist to also capture their own impression of the event in their own way.
Using ART to image the eclipse not only will allow for beautiful or alternative perspective, it can also add to the scientific understanding of the mysteries that still surround the sun and its corona. By comparing the photographic record to the artistic representation, scientists can pursue a deeper understanding of the inner workings of the sun.
Dr. William Woo is one of those investigating how what we "see" and what we can photograph are two very different things.
The photo above was taken of the 1994 eclipse, courtesy of the High Altitude Observatory (HAO), University Corporation for Atmospheric Research (UCAR), Boulder, Colorado sponsored by the National Science Foundation, and Howard Russell Butler’s painting is of the 1932 eclipse, kindly provided by the Princeton University Art Museum.
#ArtTheEclipse will also produce some truly stunning works of art. To see the eclipse in the many setting where it will take place across the American Heartland, will present many glorious vistas that the artist will no-doubt want to capture with their own unique vision.
If you are an artist and want to be a part of the #ArtTheEclipse project please contact us and we'll add you to the growing list of participants.
