Andy Warhol Artwork Is in Apollo 12 Miniature “Moon Museum”

Andy Warhol and five other artists sketched artworks that were miniaturized and sent to the moon on Apollo 12's lunar lander.

By Kathryn Hawkins. Posted on June 08 2010

---

In the 1960s, Andy Warhol took the world by storm with his unique “pop art”: a replica of Campbell’s Soup cans, a room full of silver balloons, and silkscreened prints of Marilyn Monroe and James Dean were just a few of his many renowned artworks. These days, Warhol’s prints sell for millions at art auctions—but one piece, in particular, is quite literally out of this world.

In 1969, Warhol and five other artists were involved in the creation of a “moon museum”—a coin-sized ceramic chip with six of the artists’ sketches on it. The chip was likely brought to the moon in the Apollo 12, and left on the lunar lander.

“I thought it was crazy, but now I think it really is up there,” Columbia University historian Gwen Wright told USA Today. Wright is hosting an episode of PBS’ History Detectives dedicated to the topic, which is set to air on June 21st at 9 PM Eastern time.

“For us, at the time, the moon landing was the most exciting thing that ever happened. The artists just wanted to be part of it,“said Forrest “Frosty” Meyers, one of the artists whose work made it into the spacecraft. Along with Warhol, the others featured are Claes Oldenburg, Robert Rauschenberg, David Novros, and John Chamberlain. The artists collaborated with Bell Labs engineers on their “Experiments in Arts and Technology” program, and the engineers shrunk the works down to be displayed on tiny ceramic chips.

Another engineer, going by the pseudonym “John F.,” brought the tiny artwork onto the spacecraft. The show’s producers are hopeful that the show will encourage him to come forward and claim credit for the crafty move.
Apollo 12’s launchpad foreman, Richard Kupczyk, confirms that the “moon museum” is on the lander—along with plenty of other smuggled items. “Apollo was something bigger than life, and we were all part of it,” he said. “We wanted to leave a mark.”

See a video and learn more about the story at PBS’ History Detectives.

Filed under: Arts and Culture, Weird,

---

Liked this? You'll love these, too:

• 

  Pregnant Woman Amber Miller Runs Chicago Marathon, Then Gives Birth

  Amber Miller ran the Chicago marathon 39 weeks pregnant, then gave birth after finishing the race. Read More

• 

  10 Can’t-Miss Short Films

  You won't see these short films in the theater, but they're some of our favorite videos. Read More

• 

  Floating Diaper Saves Toddler from Drowning

  3-year-old Sariyah Michel was rescued from a lake, thanks to her absorbent Pampers diaper. Read More

• 

  Simon Dale Carves $4,000 Hobbit House Out of Hillside

  Simon Dale has carved a small house for his family out of a Welsh hillside. Read More

• 

  Lobsterman Jim Henry Learns to Read at 91, Writes Book at 98

  Jim Henry, an illiterate lobsterman, taught himself to read and write at age 91. Read More