Arno Geens

Arno Geens, FRSA is a Belgian space artist and curator whose practice explores outer space as an active artistic medium. He treats the conditions beyond Earth not as obstacles but as generative forces that shape form, process and meaning. This approach informs both his orbital artworks and his Earth-based practice, examining how artistic creation transforms when space becomes a co-author rather than a backdrop.

His space-launched art is created in direct dialogue with the realities of spaceflight: mission planning, protocols, regulations and the harsh conditions of the outer space environment are active actors in his works.
While some works remain permanently in orbit, others return to Earth bearing physical traces of their exposure. Alongside them, he develops terrestrial works rooted in the same conceptual and material inquiries, translating the physics and constraints of space into controlled studio frameworks. His practice is underpinned by ongoing studio research that combines material experimentation, environmental simulation and design methodology, including collaborations with space institutions and early conceptual studies for space systems. Together, these strands form the foundation of Astromorphic Art, his framework for artworks shaped by non-terrestrial environments.

In parallel, Geens develops curatorial projects that extend exhibition-making into orbit, where mission timelines, platform constraints and environmental transformations replace conventional display systems. As co-chair of ITACCUS, the International Astronautical Federation’s Committee on the Cultural Utilization of Space, he helps shape international discourse on the cultural dimensions of space activities and advocates for art as a critical component of an expanding spacefaring culture. His cultural and art-critical work also continues through The Foundry and the Astronautical Art Initiative, which document and develop frameworks for understanding art and culture in outer space.

Arno Geens is a 2024 Karman Pioneer, a member of the Oxford Space Initiative (OxSI), a Fellow of the Royal Society of the Arts (FRSA), a space artist at the International Association of Astronomical Artists (IAAA), and a U.S. Department of State International Visitor Leadership Program (IVLP) alumnus.
He holds an MA in Graphic Design & Multimedia (LUCA School of Arts, Brussels), an MSc in Space Studies (International Space University, Strasbourg), and a PgD in Philosophy & Cognitive Science (VUB Brussels). He is also a Smart Space alumnus, Oxford University.