Luna Ring

Jila Svicevic has created a thought-provoking art installation Luna Ring, exploring the intersection between socio-ecological engagement, cultural transformation and the lunar occupation. The proposed installation is a commentary on our current lifestyles and the challenges of communication in accelerating change.

The installation features a model of the Moon covered with flexible black solar panel strips, forming an equatorial ring. The panels would serve as a charging station, symbolising contemporary society’s addiction to technology. Svicevic’s project is a critique of Luna Ring, a speculative engineering project that envisions powering the Earth from the Moon. The project was proposed by the Japanese construction firm Shimizu Corporation, after the 2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami destroyed the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant, creating public opposition against nuclear electric energy. While this concept could solve current energy issues, it raises ethical and environmental questions, as well as the potential for unintended consequences.

Svicevic’s installation draws inspiration from the Estonian folk tale The Moon Painters, which proposes an alternative way of changing the Moon. Through this art project, the artist aims to re-evaluate the Moon’s role in shaping our near-technological future and emphasise the importance of scientific communication and raising awareness through art. Svicevic’s project adds a valuable contribution to the current discourse on lunar occupation and environmental sustainability.