NASA restarts art program with New York murals aimed at Artemis Generation

As NASA works to return astronauts to the moon, the space agency is resurrecting an Apollo-era program aimed at communicating the cultural significance of its missions.

A new era for the NASA Artist’s Cooperation Program, or NASA Arts Program as it came to be known, has begun with two space-themed murals now on public view in New York’s Hudson Square neighborhood in Manhattan. Created in cooperation with the Hudson Square Business Improvement District, the two colorful side-by-side murals titled “To the Moon, and Back,” were painted by the New York-based team of Geraluz and WERC.

“I am thrilled that NASA’s Art Program is returning with such an impactful project that will inspire the next generation — the Artemis Generation — to be curious, dream big and hopefully join us in our work at NASA someday,” said Pam Melroy, NASA’s deputy administrator and a former astronaut, in a statement.

“To continue pushing the boundaries of discovery and exploration, we’ll need future generations to think critically and use creativity and ingenuity to solve some of our biggest challenges, and art is essential in preparing young minds for this task,” she said on Tuesday (Sept. 24).

“To the Moon, and Back” illustrates “a cosmic future with a universe of possibilities expressed through the dreams and aspirations of children,” according to NASA’s description of the work. The use of geometrical patterns “invites deeper reflection on the exploration, creativity and our connection with the cosmos.”

Related: NASA’s Artemis program: Everything you need to know

Gera “Geraluz” Lozano and Jari “WERC” Alvarez of Brooklyn were selected for the project through an open call for New York-based artists. Their past work includes murals for the National Audubon Society, the New York City Department of Transportation and Sony Pictures.

Part of the couple’s inspiration for the NASA murals was their five-year-old son.

“Amaru says he wants to be an astronaut; it was the perfect moment to ask him to dress up and help us conceptualize our design,” wrote Lozano on Instagram. “We had a vision when we saw the RFQ [request for questions].”

The artists received a small award to cover their design fees, materials, labor and equipment.

The funds were provided by NASA and then matched by Hudson Square Business Improvement District (BID), a nonprofit that has worked for five years to transform Manhattan’s former Printing District into a “thriving creative hub.”