Since the time of the ancients spinning tales about the origins of constellations, space has captured the collective imagination. In the words of Plato, "Astronomy compels the soul to look upward, and leads us from this world to another." The very sensation of awe, wonder and possibility stirred by the cosmos has long been essential to inspiring human pursuits, both creative and scientific. But while space was once a blank screen for the mind to project its fantasies and reflections, space is becoming increasingly tangible and accessible, with private space travel now a reality.

Space has long been the venue and playground for scientists to test the boundaries of knowledge. On earth, writers have imagined the experience of being free from the laws of physics, and visual artists have expressed and documented the collective passion, imagination and impact on the human psyche of what exists beyond our home planet's borders. Until recently, professional astronauts, cosmonauts and scientists explored what artists could only imagine.

A chance meeting between entrepreneurs with shared passion for space exploration and appreciation for art led to what is believed to be the first-ever in-space art exhibition, during Dr. Richard Garriott de Cayeux's journey to the International Space Station as a private cosmonaut in 2008.

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