An immersive art installation by Helen Caddick + Margo Selby

moon landing, a duo work consisting of an original score by Composer, Helen Caddick and a large, immersive textile installation by Artist, Margo Selby. It is a celebration of the technical possibilities of weaving and the crossovers of mathematics, colour and rhythm found in both music and textiles.

Inspired by the incredible and little known story of the women who used their dexterous weaving skills to design and produce the integrated circuits and memory cores which contributed to the success of the 1969 Apollo 11 moon landing, Helen scored moon landing, creating the work for 2 Harps, 2 Violins and 2 Cellos. The work echos the strings of a loom and the binary code used in weaving; to reflect the involvement of Navaho women in the creation of the circuits and the Huguenot weavers who brought their craft to London in the 17th century, a heritage craft Margo upholds.

With both artists in dialogue across the creative process, as a weaver, Margo translates Helen’s music into textile art. The stripes within the textile reflect the rhythm of the music. The abstract blocks of hand woven thread that make up the composition move in a stepping motion, reflecting the way musical notes shift between the staves on a sheet of music.

INSPIRATION

For more information about the women who inspired moon landing, we invite you to read the Science News article by Joy Lisi Rankin.

Core memory weavers and Navajo women made the Apollo missions possible

moon landing by Helen Caddick composition for string sextet, 2024. 

2 Harps/2 Violins/2 Cellos

moon landing by Margo Selby, handwoven textile installation, 2024. 

Approx: 1600 cm x 140 cm, wool/silk/cotton