The Sun and The Moon: Art Inspired by the Celestial is a major exhibition at Saatchi Gallery exploring how the two most powerful phenomena in the sky have inspired creativity, curiosity, and belief throughout human history and across different cultures. Occupying two floors of the Gallery and spanning nine major exhibition spaces, the show presents artworks, installations, and objects that reveal how artists have responded to the Sun and the Moon. The exhibition features works by established artists, by emerging talent and archival material throughout.
The first four chapters of the exhibition focus upon the Sun. The journey begins with Dawn which reveals how the Sun and the Moon were integral to early belief systems and mythologies. A second chapter, The Sun Rising, reflects on time, seasons, and rituals. The exhibition continues with Zenith, looking at how artists respond to the sun at its highest and its relationship to our bodies. Setting Sun follows, with a focus on transformation, including a section about tarot and a presentation of Nancy Holt’s film Sun Tunnels.
At the halfway point and centre piece of the exhibition, a six metre version of Luke’s Helios artwork is installed in a double-height gallery, with deck chairs all around the space for visitors to ‘sunbathe’.