Is there gold on the moon?
Art Installation: Clay court, plants, compost, concrete, steel, plastic,
aluminium mesh...
Schwabach/Germany, 2025
By intertwining dystopian and utopian dimensions, Is there gold on the moon? belongs to the tradition of critical dystopias. The work denounces destructive contemporary practices while allowing traces of hope to emerge, inviting us to reflect on our choices and to imagine other futures.
An inhospitable environment unfolds: an abandoned lunar landscape, made of red soil (clay court), with craters and hills covering the gallery floor. This direct reference to the destructive practices of gold extraction highlights the dramatic ecological impact of toxic substances such as mercury or cyanide, which render soils sterile and uninhabitable. A scent of bitter almond, at first familiar, soon evokes the cyanide used in gold mining, filling the air with an invisible threat.
The visitor is invited to cross this apocalyptic landscape, to walk on the sand, thus becoming an integral part of the installation. This work engages the senses and transforms the perception of space into an oppressive environment.
Yet beyond desolation, the installation opens a perspective of hope. In some craters, small transparent capsules resembling autonomous greenhouses appear. Inside, plants thrive in a closed microclimate, hoping for better times.
An inhospitable environment unfolds: an abandoned lunar landscape, made of red soil (clay court), with craters and hills covering the gallery floor. This direct reference to the destructive practices of gold extraction highlights the dramatic ecological impact of toxic substances such as mercury or cyanide, which render soils sterile and uninhabitable. A scent of bitter almond, at first familiar, soon evokes the cyanide used in gold mining, filling the air with an invisible threat.
The visitor is invited to cross this apocalyptic landscape, to walk on the sand, thus becoming an integral part of the installation. This work engages the senses and transforms the perception of space into an oppressive environment.
Yet beyond desolation, the installation opens a perspective of hope. In some craters, small transparent capsules resembling autonomous greenhouses appear. Inside, plants thrive in a closed microclimate, hoping for better times.