Belgian artist behind first artwork on the moon dies at 99
Belgian artist Paul Van Hoeydonck, creator of the first and for a long time the only artwork on the moon, died on Saturday afternoon at the age of 99, according to a press release from his family. He died at home in Wijnegem, Antwerp, in the presence of his wife.
Born in Antwerp on 8 October 1925, Paul Van Hoeydonck studied at the Institute of Art History in his home town and at the Institute of Art History and Archaeology in Brussels. Van Hoeydonck was a versatile artist: sculptor, painter, draughtsman, collagist and graphic artist.
As a modern sculptor, Van Hoeydonck worked with materials such as bronze, chromium steel, plexiglass, polyester and 'mixed media'. He exhibited not only in Antwerp, Brussels and Oostende, but also in Milan, Tokyo and at the Guggenheim in New York.
Fallen Astronaut
Van Hoeydonck is best known for the sculpture 'Fallen Astronaut', which was left on the moon by the astronauts of Apollo-15 in 1971. The statue was placed there with a plaque listing the fourteen astronauts who had died up to that point. Until February last year, it was the only artwork on the moon.
While the NASA astronauts intended Fallen Astronaut to be a tribute to their fallen colleagues, Van Hoeydonck wanted his sculpture to stand upright on the moon, representing all of humanity. The Belgian artist also wanted to sell replicas of the sculpture, but was forced to back down, as NASA prohibits commercial exploitation of the US space programme.
#FlandersNewsService | © BELGA PHOTO ERIC LALMAND
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