The Moon
20 July 2019 marked the 50th anniversary of the first Moon landing and the first steps taken on the lunar surface by Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin. This exhibition was programmed to coincide with this significant milestone, and brought together artistic responses to the celestial body that orbits the Earth.
For centuries artists from many cultures have been inspired by the Moon, the most prominent feature of our night sky. The exhibition included historical works created when the Moon could only be viewed from afar, works from the era of the 1960s space race, and more contemporary responses informed by the imagery and scientific knowledge acquired through space exploration.
Just as the Moon itself can be viewed from multiple vantage points from the Earth, works in the exhibition were located throughout the galleries. Links with literature, film, music and science were also explored, highlighting the Moon’s capacity to engender creativity and inquiry.
Across five key exhibition themes, The Moon invited new engagement with, and provided new perspectives on, this enigmatic celestial body that we all see and are influenced by.
Gallery Channel
Visit the Gallery Channel to see the installation of The Moon.
Events
Learn Space—Destination Moon
15 June to 1 September
Drop-in tours—The Moon
Each Saturday and Sunday
Floortalk—The Moon
Saturday 22 June
First Friday: Lisa Sullivan—The Moon
Friday 5 July
Eye spy art adventures for wee ones—the light of the Moon
Monday 8 July
Eye spy art adventures—the lunar phase
Tuesday 9 July
Claymation—voyage to the Moon
Thursday 11 July
Watch videos
Afterhours—Waning Moon
Friday 19 July
Pop-up planetarium—special anniversary celebration
Friday 19 and Saturday 20 July
Lyndal Jones: Gardening on Mars—Writing & Concepts lecture
Thursday 25 July
First Friday: Dr Wendy Haslem—from Méliès to new media
Friday 2 August
Talking art—viewing The Moon
Thursday 15 August
Family Fun Day—reading is my secret power
Sunday 18 August
Creative conversation—Senior Curator, Lisa Sullivan, Janet Dawson and Luke Parker
Saturday 24 August
New Moon—trivia night
Friday 30 August