Buzz Aldrin with Apollo 11 Lunar Module on the Moon 1964 - 1974

Neil Armstrong made this photograph of Buzz Aldrin with the Apollo 11 Lunar Module on the moon. It is not a painting, but the tones and mark making give it a painterly feel. The stark contrast between the dark sky and the bright, reflective surfaces of the module and Aldrin's suit create a striking image, but the details are what draws me in. Look at the ground. The texture of the lunar surface, with its subtle variations in tone and shadow, it reminds me of the expressive surfaces in a Cy Twombly painting. The way the light catches the metallic elements of the module gives it a kind of otherworldly, sculptural presence. It's about pushing boundaries and daring to see things differently, which is, in the end, what all art is about. It reminds us that there is always more to discover, more to explore, and more to imagine.