Alternative Moons
After a monumental first presentation at the Biennale Images Vevey in 2020, the artist duo Robert Pufleb and Nadine Schlieper reinterpret the series Alternative Moons for Images Gibellina. What initially appears to be astronomical documentation soon reveals a more earthly truth: the moon’s craters are, in fact, pancakes. By transforming an ordinary object, the artists question how images construct reality in an era shaped by “alternative facts” and misinformation. An atmosphere of ambiguity emerges, where the assumed objectivity of the image gives way to doubt. Everyday photographic phenomena become visual riddles that unsettle perception. As art historian Jolanda Wessel notes, the issue is no longer how reality is reproduced, but how images generate emotions, opinions, and behaviours. With playful precision, Alternative Moons reveals just how seductive illusion can be.
Alternative Moons
The Moon has always been a source of strange fascination. The first photograph of our unique natural satellite dates back to 1839, the year photography was born. Almost two centuries later, Robert Pufleb and Nadine Schlieper present a tasty lesson in astronomy by photographing the Moon from previously unknown angles. Their Alternative Moons series tests our perception and demonstrates just how easily images can mislead us. The trap is incredibly delicious, as when we think we see the Moon’s surface, we are in fact looking at… pancakes. The title of this series alludes to “alternative facts”, an expression coined by the Trump administration. The German duo illustrates the power of photographic illusion and reveals the fine line between reality and fiction in this digital era.
