Luke JERRAM is no stranger to large-scale sculptures, art installations and performances in public space. His giant waterslide, Park and Slide, has toured around the world, just like his musical hot air balloons in Sky Orchestra or his acoustic wind pavilion, Aeolus. In 2016, he began building the lit sculpture, the benevolent halo of an incredible travelling ray of moonlight, where each centimetre represents 5 km of lunar surface, capturing the geography of its valleys and craters in extraordinary detail…

However MUSEUM OF THE MOON is much more than just a demonstration of technical and scientific prowess. It creates a personal connection with the night sky, heightening the experience of gazing at a “full moon” by generating a sense of nearness. The installation exudes extraordinary gentleness and inspires reflection, contemplation, celebration, and respect. Like a cultural mirror of humanity that transcends time and cultures, the image of this lunar body takes us back to an intimate, primitive, childlike and poetic perspective. MUSEUM OF THE MOON will suddenly reappear one morning in Rennes, hovering over the main swimming pool at St. Georges Swimming Pool for one month.

Above the water, the awe-inspiring art piece will meld into the regular life of the building, its hours and uses. It will shine round-the-clock so that anyone, especially those who didn’t get a chance the first time around, can come for a “moonlight swim” under the sculpture and enjoy the amazing and deeply moving experience it is bound to procure. Nuit Blanche on Saturday 27 January will also extend the experience. TOMBÉES DE LA NUIT is the producer of this second copy of the inflatable sculpture, which has already toured the world.