Moonwalkers
The story of the Apollo Missions at The Light Room, narrated by Tom Hanks
(Photos are taken by me, from the experience. Please feel free to use them and credit this blog/instagram handle Doctoryak)
Only twelve people have every walked on the moon, and the rest of us are left wondering. This sub-hour immersive experience celebrates the pioneers who ventured to our mysterious satellite, and allows us to wonder, and wander, with them.
Both the projection and the acoustics in this four walled cinematic box are amazing and it’s a humbling note to put the events of 2023 and the increasing darkness of our green Earth into perspective — and to appreciate how everything significant for us is on this very insubstantial dot in the void of space.
The Lightroom in King’s Cross (which has changed so much since my Cambridge days) is an impressive venue for immersive digital art and you can choose where to sit or if you want to stand in this arena with four massive screens on either side- it sounds like it should be claustrophobic but it isn’t, helped by Tom Hanks’ classic homely narration style.
It feels like a better use of the space than the first show which covered the work of artist David Hockney.
It’s a history of NASA Apollo missions, the last being in 1972, in the run up for the launch of NASA’s Artemis mission this coming year, the first trip to the moon in more than 50 years. Like a mixture between a documentary film, and immersive art installation and visiting the Science Museum as a child, with familiar clips of politicians and pundits for context
It also starts with a history of the moon in general, and the art and mythology of this orb
The only odd thing about this is that, despite the aim to focus on Apollo 11–17 (missing out a lot of the historical context of the era), there is no mention of Apollo 13, strange given that Tom Hanks starred in the film as Jim Lovell.
“The moon has always been our constant companion, right?” Tom Hanks — as a child he lied underwater in a paddling pool breathing through a hose imagining he was weightless above earth’s atmosphere.
It was nice to learn about some of the moon landings I was less familiar with, and also to hear from the new generation of explorers who are due to make the journey to the moon on Artemis II later this year.
Highly recommend , particularly if you have any interest in space or if like me you just want to help put events and life into context.
I also have to say is that the staff at the Lightroom were fantastic — my father was suffering from severe sciatica pain and they really helped make him comfortable. Thanks to all of you.
