Belgian sculptor who brought art to the moon dies at 99
Paul Van Hoeydonck, a Belgian artist renowned for creating the first sculpture left on the Moon, has died at the age of 99. His work, "Fallen Astronaut," honours astronauts who perished during space missions.
Paul Van Hoeydonck, a Belgian painter, graphic artist, and sculptor, passed away on Saturday in Antwerp, surrounded by his dearly loved wife. He was the creator of the inaugural piece of art left on the Moon.
His aluminium sculpture "Fallen Astronaut" was placed on the Moon's surface by the Apollo 15 crew in 1971. The sculpture was intended to commemorate 14 astronauts who died during space missions.
"Fallen Astronaut" - a symbol of humanity
Van Hoeydonck envisioned his work representing all of humanity, but the mission's astronauts, who commissioned the sculpture, had slightly different intentions. The piece was left on Mons Hadley, a massif in the Moon's northern hemisphere, accompanied by a plaque listing the names of the deceased astronauts.
The artist had to abandon plans to sell replicas of "Fallen Astronaut" because NASA prohibits the commercial exploitation of topics associated with the American space programme. For many years, Van Hoeydonck's sculpture stood as the only artwork on the Moon.
Van Hoeydonck's pieces are included in the collections of esteemed institutions, such as the Museum of Modern Art in New York and the Guggenheim Museum. His ability to merge art with science continues to inspire future generations of artists and space devotees.
New works on the Moon
In 2024, 125 small sculptures by Jeff Koons, an American artist famous for sculptures resembling balloon figures, will join it. This demonstrates how space art is evolving and taking on new forms.
