Lunar Codex: Sending Art to the Moon

The Lunar Codex is a groundbreaking project that aims to send a collection of art to the moon. This ambitious endeavor, led Samuel Peralta, a physicist and art collector from Canada, involves digitizing and storing artworks from 30,000 artists, filmmakers, writers, and musicians from 158 countries across the globe.

The collection, which includes objects, images, books, podcasts, movies, and music, is divided into four distinct capsules. The first capsule, known as the Orion collection, has already made its journey around the moon as part of NASA’s Artemis 1 mission in 2022. The upcoming months will see the other capsules, namely the Nova Collection, Peregrine Collection, and Polaris Collection, being transported to various destinations on the lunar surface.

While this may not be the first time artworks have been sent to the moon, dating back to the Apollo 12 mission in 1969, the Lunar Codex project is far the most extensive and global initiative of its kind. It aims to create a lasting cultural legacy showcasing the diversity and creativity of humanity.

The significance of this project goes beyond simply sending art to the moon. It raises intriguing questions about how extraterrestrial life might perceive and interpret our artistic expressions. Chris Lintott, an astrophysics professor, wonders if alien civilizations would appreciate our art and speculates about the possibility of detecting alien art ourselves.

Samuel Peralta describes the Lunar Codex as a message in a bottle to future generations. It serves as a reminder that, despite the challenges of our time, humanity has always found solace and inspiration in art. Through this project, Peralta hopes that future travelers who discover these time capsules will gain a glimpse into the richness of our world today.

Sources:
– The Times
– designboom