The Lunar Arts Award Exhibition at UNM ARTSLab

Sponsored by the Space Sustainability Research Grand Challenge, NASA CASA Moon Research Program, and ARTSLab, this event highlighted the intersection of art, science, and space exploration.

Out of more than 50 applicants, five UNM students were selected to bring their moon-inspired visions to life. The result? A stunning collection of works that blended technology, tradition, and imagination.

Spotlight on the Featured Works:

Dust to Dust – Lila Steffan
A breathtaking watercolor piece made from handcrafted pigments sourced from Earth minerals, mirroring those found on the moon. This project, developed in collaboration with a lunar geomorphologist, bridged the worlds of science and art in a visually striking way.

Phasing – Elan Retzlaff
This interdisciplinary installation wove together textiles and real-time video projections to explore the moon’s connection to gender fluidity and cultural identity. Through its shifting visuals, Phasing reflected the ever-changing nature of the lunar cycle.

Lunacy Enabled Synodic Realignment (LESR) – Austin Tecks & Amanda Stormyr
A VR installation that reimagined ancient beliefs about the moon’s influence on human emotions. This speculative, near-future therapeutic experience invited viewers to realign their emotional states through lunar cycles.

madre luna – Isabella Romero
A mesmerizing stop-motion animation that celebrated New Mexico’s nocturnal wildlife, indigenous ecological stewardship, and the moon as a guiding force in the face of climate change.

Grounding Moonlight – Madison Hailey Emond
A photographic series captured with a pinhole camera made from New Mexican clay, documenting the moon’s journey over the Rio Grande. A poetic meditation on time, place, and celestial movement.