Van Hoeydonck, first artist to exhibit on Moon, dies

Van Hoeydonck, first artist to exhibit on Moon, dies
by AFP Staff Writers
Brussels, Belgium (AFP) May 3, 2025

Belgian artist Paul Van Hoeydonck, who made what was for decades the only work of art on the Moon, died on Saturday aged 99, his family said on Facebook.

Born on October 8, 1925, Van Hoeydonck was a prolific artist whose works spanned sculpture, painting, drawing, collage and graphic design.

He is best known for "Fallen Astronaut", an aluminium sculpture left on the moon in 1971 by the crew of the Apollo 15 spacecraft, in homage to their fallen colleagues.

It was the first and, for decades, the only work of art on show on the Moon's surface.

In February 2024, "Fallen Astronaut" was joined by 125 miniature sculptures by the American artist Jeff Koons.

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