MOCA London is hosting a virtual reality (extended reality, XR) version of Liliane Lijn’s ongoing project, Moonmeme. This is the first in a series of extended reality (XR) exhibitions based on artists’ pieces in Michael Petry’s book The WORD is ART, published by Thames & Hudson. They are produced in collaboration with the artists MOCA London and Eric Prince ART[XR].
In this virtual reality version, visitors will don a pair of special visors that will allow them to see the moon shining over a body of water. The experience is quite unnerving, and the virtual space seems immense. The moon looks so real, you feel you can reach out and touch it.
Lijn’s original concept in 1991 was to project the word SHE across the entire lunar surface as seen from Earth and allow the movements of the Sun, Earth and Moon to alter the word and its meaning. Lijn developed Moonmeme into a virtual work consisting of a computer program working in real time to project the word ‘SHE’ onto an image of the lunar surface. The image updates every 26 hours and 13 minutes, as the program tracks the real moon’s phase, and is accompanied by a soundtrack of Lijn chanting variations of ‘she’ and ancient lunar texts, in homage to cross-cultural beliefs that the moon is feminine. Over a lunar month, the word ‘SHE’ becomes ‘HE ‘ and then re-emerges as the moon moves through its different phases.
Moonmeme, presented as an installation or on a monitor, has been widely exhibited and is available in an edition of 25 from Sylvia Kouvali London/Piraeus. This version invites viewers to type in their name and birthdate. On doing this, they see the lunar image with “SHE” or “HE” projected upon its surface, as it was at their birth… From seeing oneself as a unique cosmic phenomenon, the self is viewed as a small part of a much larger pattern.’
Liliane Lijn’s work covers many interests, from Light and its interaction with diverse new materials to developing a fresh image for the feminine. Lijn has taken inspiration from both artificial and natural incidental details, mythology and poetry, science and technology. Lijn is interested in language development, collaborating across disciplines and making interactive art, in which the viewer can actively participate.
Hamish Hamilton Penguin Random House have just released Liquid Reflections, Lijn’s autobiography of her struggle to find her identity as an artist in Paris, New York and Athens from 1958 to the late 1960s, and it is available from the link below:
Liliane Lijn Moonmeme The WORD is ART 11 May – 7 June 2025 Opening Event: Sunday, 11 May, 2 pm – 4 pm