17 Dec 2013

The Arts Catalyst: Republic of the Moon

The Arts Catalyst present
Republic of the Moon

Bargehouse, Oxo Tower Wharf, South Bank, London SE1 9PH, UK
10 January – 2 February 2014, open daily 11am-6pm, admission free
www.artscatalyst.org/moon

An exhibition of work by Agnes Meyer-Brandis, Katie Paterson, Liliane Lijn, Leonid Tishkov, WE COLONISED THE MOON and Moon Vehicle that re-imagines our relationship with our nearest celestial neighbour.

It's nearly four decades since humans walked on the Moon, but it now seems likely that we will return there in this century – whether to mine for its minerals, as a 'stepping stone' to Mars, or simply to do scientific research. In a provocative pre-emptive action, a group of artists are declaring a Republic of the Moon here on Earth, to re-examine our relationship with our planet's only natural satellite.

After two decades working with space dreamers from the European Space Agency to anarchist autonomous astronauts, The Arts Catalyst will transform Bargehouse into an Earth-based embassy for a 'Republic of the Moon', filled with artists' fantastical imaginings. Presenting international artists including Liliane Lijn, Leonid Tishkov, Katie Paterson, Agnes Meyer Brandis and WE COLONISED THE MOON, the exhibition combines personal encounters, DIY space plans, imaginary expeditions and new myths for the next space age.

Marking the start of its twentieth anniversary year, The Arts Catalyst, the UK's leading experimental art and science organisation, will animate the Bargehouse exhibition with performances, workshops, music, talks, a pop-up moon shop by super/collider and playful protests against lunar exploitation. A manifesto declaring the Moon a temporary autonomous zone, with responses from artists and scientists to novelist Tony White's call to 'occupy the Moon!' will be published in print and e-Book formats to coincide with the exhibition.

• Agnes Meyer-Brandis' Moon Goose Analogue: Lunar Migration Bird Facility (Ars Electronica award of distinction winner 2012)
• Katie Paterson Second Moon and Earth–Moon–Earth
• Liliane Lijn's moonmeme
• Leonid Tishkov's Private Moon
• WE COLONISED THE MOON (Sue Corke and Hagen Betzwieser) will be the Republic of the Moon's artists in residence throughout the exhibition.
• Moon Vehicle, devised by the students at Srishti School of Art, Design and Technology in Bangalore, with artist Joanna Griffin.

The artists in Republic of the Moon regard the Moon not as a resource to be exploited but as a heavenly body that belongs to us all. The exhibition asks: Who will be the first colonisers of the Moon? Perhaps it should be the artists.

A Manifesto for the Republic of the Moon will be published to accompany the exhibition, edited by curator, Rob La Frenais.

A full programme of events and ticket bookings can be found at www.artscatalyst.org/moon

Events for adults

- Friday 10 January, 5-6pm – Exhibition tour with curator Rob La Frenais and the artists. Free, no booking necessary.

- Saturday 11 January, 11am-1pm – Open think tank late breakfast for scientists, experts and the public with artists in residence WE COLONISED THE MOON. Further participatory events investigate the future of the Moon: theme park or quarry? Will take place on Saturdays 18 and 25 January.

- Thursday 16 January, 7-10pm – Kosmica: Full Moon Party and late night exhibition opening. Talks by: artist Tomas Saraceno, space medicine expert Kevin Fong, space politics specialist Jill Stuart, space scientist Lucie Green, Live Moon smelling with WE COLONISED THE MOON, music by Orchestra Elastique (with Georges Méliès, A trip to the Moon). Tickets £5, book online

- Saturday 1 February, 2-5pm – Global Lunar Day: an investigation of international and cultural approaches to the Moon. Symposium moderator: Dr Jill Stuart (Executive Editor of Space Policy) and speakers: Prof Bernard Foing (Executive Director, International Lunar Exploration Working Group), Bijal (Bee) Thakore (engineer and member of Board of Directors, Planetary Society), Dr Marek Kukula (Public Astronomer, Royal Observatory Greenwich), Joanna Griffin (artist and researcher, Srishti School of Arts, Bangalore). Free

Family workshops
- Sun 12 January, 2–5pm – Make it to the Moon, drop in family workshops led by artist and ESERO-UK Space Ambassador Helen Schell. Imagine a mission to the Moon and using various art and craft techniques design and make space diaries, logbooks, rocket manuals, Moon flags and mission badges. For 5–11 year olds, must be accompanied by an adult, free.

- Sun 19 January, 2.30–4.30pm – Moon Stories, family workshop with Moon Vehicle project leader Joanna Griffin. Join a space adventure re-enacting the history of Moon landings, making space vehicles and a light-based lunar installation for a new mission. Suitable for ages 8+, must be accompanied by an adult, free but booking essential.

Republic of the Moon is a touring exhibition, commissioned by The Arts Catalyst with FACT. The first version of the exhibition was presented at FACT Liverpool in winter 2012. The exhibition and residency has been made possible with Grants for the Arts support from Arts Council England and Science & Technology Facilities Council.

Moon Goose Analogue: Lunar Migration Bird Facility links directly to Meyer-Brandis's, Moon Goose Colony, 2011, a project during her residency at Pollinaria, Italy, the site of the remote analogue habitat where the artist has raised and houses the colony of moon geese.

Second Moon has been commissioned by Locus+ in partnership with Newcastle University and Tyne & Wear Archives & Museums. Supported by Arts Council England, Adelaide Festival and Newcastle City Council

Bargehouse is owned and managed by social enterprise, Coin Street Community Builders: www.coinstreet.org