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. Last year, he began building a giant moon. The seven-metre diameter helium inflated sphere is printed with high-resolution (120dpi) NASA imagery and is lit from the inside. It is like 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 nocturnal 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 appear on a Sunday morning in Rennes, and hover over the main swimming pool at St. Georges Swimming Pool in Rennes for three weeks. 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 can come for a “moonlight swim” under the sculpture and enjoy the amazing and deeply moving experience it is bound to procure.

For this presentation in Rennes, TOMBÉES DE LA NUIT is the producer of the second copy of the inflatable sculpture.