An Art Filled Republic Of The Moon Is Established On The South Bank

Tabish Khan
By Tabish Khan Last edited 122 months ago
An Art Filled Republic Of The Moon Is Established On The South Bank
Agnes Meyer-Brandis. Moon Goose Analogue: Lunar Migration Bird Facility. Image courtesy of the artist
Agnes Meyer-Brandis. Moon Goose Analogue: Lunar Migration Bird Facility. Image courtesy of the artist
Leonard Tishkov, Private Moon. Image courtesy of the artist
Leonard Tishkov, Private Moon. Image courtesy of the artist
Agnes Meyer-Brandis. Moon Goose Analogue (still). Image courtesy of the artist
Agnes Meyer-Brandis. Moon Goose Analogue (still). Image courtesy of the artist
Agnes Meyer-Brandis. Moon Goose Analogue: Lunar Migration Bird Facility. Image courtesy of the artist
Agnes Meyer-Brandis. Moon Goose Analogue: Lunar Migration Bird Facility. Image courtesy of the artist
Leonard Tishkov, Private Moon. Image courtesy of the artist
Leonard Tishkov, Private Moon. Image courtesy of the artist
Joanna Griffin, Moon Stories family workshop
Joanna Griffin, Moon Stories family workshop

The moon has always held a certain romantic appeal, whether it be inspiring poets or fuelling dreams of flying there and establishing a colony. This exhibition pulls together a collection of artworks relating to journeying and exploring the moon, in a varied and interactive exhibition.

They range from the bizarre to the tongue in cheek, as Katie Paterson transmits Beethoven's Moonlight Sonata to the moon while the artistic duo calling themselves 'We colonised the moon' transform our satellite into a gaudy theme park. Other artists explore India's attempts to send a spacecraft to the moon and Liliane Lijn projects a message of gender equality on its surface.

One of the most heartwarming works  is Leonard Tishkov's personal moon. A glowing representation of a crescent moon that accompanies  a man throughout his life, whether it's being dragged through a snowy forest or sat on a tower block balcony.

Our favourite work by far is Agnes Mayer-Brandis's surreal and extremely comical attempts to teach geese to fly to the moon. The centrepiece is a video starring the artist as she raises geese and teaches them to follow her and runs them through a full astronaut training regime, from taking them to a high altitude training camp to teaching them about the equations that make space flight possible.

It's all delivered by the artist in a very straight laced manner, making it all the more humorous. The installation is completed with a control centre and a photograph of a goose-print on a mocked up lunar surface next to the famous Apollo 11  image of an astronaut's footprint on the moon.

This exhibition put on by Arts Catalyst is a greatly enjoyable experience of a diverse set of artists that have created works that are both humorous and engaging – a true lunar treat.

Republic of the Moon is on at Bargehouse, Oxo Tower Wharf, South Bank, SE1 9PH until 2 February. Entrance is free. There is also a programme of events running concurrently with the exhibition, check the website for details.

Last Updated 13 January 2014