Carolyn Russo

Oct 3, 2024 | smithsonianmag.com | Carolyn Russo

With this project, the airport tower became symbolic to me. I viewed each tower as both an essential aviation artifact and a vessel with a powerful presence— watching over the vastness of the airport and sky; a non-judgmental cultural greeter; a choreographer or conductor; a mother bird caring for her flock; an omniscient, intelligent structure keeping humans safe. In the presence of the tower, I sensed the complex orchestration of humans.

Aug 20, 2024 | issues.org | Carolyn Russo |Vol. XL

One of the remarkable qualities of space art is its ability to amplify the mysterious intangibility of the cosmos (as with the late-nineteenth-century French artist Étienne Trouvelot) and at the same time make the unrealized technologies of the future and the worlds beyond our reach seem to be within our grasp (as with the mid-twentieth-century American artist Chesley Bonestell).

May 1, 2024 | issues.org | Carolyn Russo |Kelsey Schoenberg |Vol. XL

Space exploration became firmly interwoven with American culture through influential speeches by President John F. Kennedy at a time of heightened awareness of the “space race” between the United States and the Soviet Union. However, space art also played a significant role in shaping American perspectives on space—helping to bridge the gaps between scientific, sociopolitical, and cultural viewpoints on exploration.

Apr 30, 2024 | smithsonianmag.com | Carolyn Russo

Clarence Hungerford MacKay, born in 1874, invested in the early communication industry. While president of the Postal Telegraph & Cable Corporation, Mackay oversaw cable lines between the United States and Europe. Mackay was also interested in the nascent American aviation industry, and in 1912, he commissioned Tiffany & Company in New York to create what is now known as the Mackay Trophy.

Apr 15, 2024 | airandspace.si.edu | Carolyn Russo

The passing of Jim Dean, a true friend, colleague, and art advocate, deeply saddens the Smithsonian’s National Air and Space Museum and the art community. His contributions to the Museum’s art collection and NASA are invaluable. Dean left an indelible mark in the fields of art and science as our Museum’s first art curator from 1974 to 1980 and as director of the NASA Art Program from the early 1960s to 1974. His legacy will continue to inspire future generations of artists and scientists alike.