Helen Schell: Moon-shot: First Woman on the Moon

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The official history of lunar exploration is that 12 American men went to the Moon between 1969 and 1972; but many conspiracy theories have grown up over the intervening years ' some more elaborate than others. One of the commonest and most enduring ones is that the lunar landings never happened due to the overwhelming difficulties of reaching the Moon and were concocted for the purposes of Cold War politics, and are one of the greatest (as well as most expensive) hoaxes ever played on the public.

Developed on various projects around the UK over the last 2 years, and coinciding with the British Science Festival 2013, in Newcastle 7-12 September, Schell presents a series of large paintings: imaginary Moon rockets, lunar space stations, and evocative images of the Moon. Smaller works on paper include lunar habitats, the phases of the Moon, and what purport to be 'Moon rocks'.

While in reality, the colossal expense, immense distances and the unremitting hostility of the environment makes sending people into space increasingly more problematic ' Schell shows us that in popular culture and in our imaginations the idea of exploring beyond the limitations of our own planet remains as potent and compelling an idea as ever, reflecting a belief in ' or at least a hope for ' a better life tomorrow.

In addition to 'Moon-shot', Schell is showing video footage of a recent performance work, UN-Dress, filmed for the Arthouses event as part of the Whitley Bay Film Festival on Sunday 1 September 2013. The performer wears a dress made from the same plastic material used in washing machine capsules, that dissolves on contact with water. The dress was made for 'Undress: Redress', a collaborative project with Arts Centre Washington, NETPark, Durham and Science Learning Centre North East for the Newcastle Science Festival 2012. The performer was Rachael Allen and the filmmakers were Tracey Tofield and Emma Lea from Primate Films Ltd., and Orlan Milstein.