Lunar Gardening

About

The moon, that silent companion to the constant ravages of our turbulent earth.
That puller of tides and marker of seasons.
That poetic muse and vision of Selene.
A destination for governmental grandstanders and for the dreams of children.
A mineral resource and a science fiction homestead.

The moon is a physical, observable, quantifiable object and it is a screen for the projection of our most profound, whimsical
and spiritual desires.

The material that surrounds us, those organic and mineral substances that lay in strata all the way to the Earth’s core.
The dust and the soil and the rock.
That grow and bloom and crystalise.
That embody, affect and perform change.
The moon is the product of the same cosmic gas and dust as the matter beneath our feet. These things are connected.

Lunar Gardening is a gathering of artists’ works that collectively consider making, process, ritual (and by implication) being, as existing between, and under the influence of two interrelated forces – the lunar orbit and microscopic mineral change. Both forces are observable through the tools of empirical science, and at the same time, they have the ability to conjure metaphoric, spiritual or ethical significance. Paintings, prints, photographs, books and objects channel these forces and play host to extra-rational narratives.

With thanks to Andy Larkin, The Harry Lawson Rock Collection, Lucy Steggals, Marlborough Gallery, Simon Martin and
Pallant House Gallery.