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- Art of London’s Art After Dark turns the West End cosmic with a free takeover by Nelly Ben Hayoun-Stépanian, uniting space agencies, astronomers, and musicians
- Spectacle features extraterrestrial rocks, neon cats inspired by physics experiments, cutting-edge telescopes, and a lunar-bounced soundscape by leading artists
- Iconic artists sending tracks to the Moon include Massive Attack, Moses Boyd, Ayse Hassan (Savages), Mirrored Fatality, EOBIONT (Láwû Makuriye’nt) and The Avalanches
- Members of the public capturing selfies, calling to ‘speak to the Moon’, and searching for extraterrestrial intelligence through the telescopes
- Art After Dark (6–8 March) marks International Women’s Day with late gallery openings, BSL tours, and a surreal space film on Piccadilly Lights
Thursday 6th March 2025, London: An intergalactic takeover has transformed London’s West End as artist and designer Dr. Nelly Ben Hayoun-Stépanian, founder of NASA’s International Space Orchestra, unveils a free public art spectacle for Art of London’s Art After Dark (6th–8th March).
Around the iconic Piccadilly Circus fountain, asteroid-shaped iridescent boulders appear to have tumbled straight from space, while in Leicester Square, towering five-metre neon inflatable cats - the size of a double-decker bus and inspired by Schrödinger’s famous quantum paradox - prowl the scene.
Creating a portal to space while celebrating London’s nightlife, the asteroids broadcast a hypnotic lunar soundscape featuring tracks from Massive Attack, The Avalanches, Moses Boyd, and Mirrored Fatality which have been bounced off the Moon. Transmitted 768,800 km via Earth-Moon-Earth technology and received by Jodrell Bank’s Lovell Telescope, the audio signal spreads across the Moon’s nearside, penetrating several metres into the surface before returning to Earth with a unique, otherworldly sound that blends the original with echoes from the Moon and cosmos.
As part of this ‘DJing with the Moon’, Mercury Prize winner Ayse Hassan (Savages) crafted a mesmerising soundscape for Piccadilly Circus, blending the pulse of London’s bustling streets and iconic institutions including the National Portrait Gallery. Additionally, a newly produced track in collaboration with the late noise artist EOBIONT (Láwû Makuriye’nt), who tragically passed away this week, features the heartbeats of women from Ben Hayoun-Stépanian’s Armenian family to mark International Women’s Day.
For those eager to explore the universe firsthand, state-of-the-art UNISTELLAR telescopes will be stationed across the West End, offering breathtaking views of nebulae, star clusters, and Jupiter during Galaxy Season. Guided by SETI Institute astronomers, visitors may even take part in the search for extraterrestrial intelligence. Meanwhile, culture seekers can step into a red telephone box outside The Londoner to ‘call the Moon’ and chat with an AI-powered hotline.
The culture experience brings the universe closer than ever and culminates on 8th March with a special 25 minute screening on Piccadilly Lights - a world first for the UK landmark - of Ben Hayoun-Stépanian’s film, From The Void To The Full. Spanning from the ocean’s depths to the farthest reaches of space, the surreal collage-based journey explores our evolving world, cosmic wonders, and humanity’s drive for discovery through fire and electricity.
Meanwhile, a collection of extraterrestrial-inspired ceramic artworks - co-created with local youth groups* in a workshop developed by the artist - is on display at the Cabinet of Curiosities in St James’s Market Pavilion until the end of May.
Beyond these cosmic installations, West End visitors can explore late-night gallery openings from world-class institutions at the Art of London Gallery HOP! and Friday Lates at the National Portrait Gallery, National Gallery, and Royal Academy, making Art After Dark the ultimate cultural night out.
After an interstellar adventure, visitors can refuel at the West End’s top restaurants, bars, and theatres, all joining the celebration. Visit the Art of London website for programme details, gallery hops, exclusive deals, and bookable art tours, including BSL-interpreted experiences.
Art After Dark is part of Art of London’s commitment to showcasing art in every form, delivered by Heart of London Business Alliance in collaboration with Westminster City Council.
Rachel Williams, local city worker, said: “I was just on my way home from work when I stumbled upon these glowing rocks in the middle of Piccadilly Circus, emitting incredible sounds that had travelled to the Moon and back! I even got to glimpse into space through powerful telescopes - such a surreal experience!”
Nelly Ben Hayoun-Stépanian, eco-feminist artist and designer of experiences, said: “Piccadilly Un:Plugged invites you to break free from the everyday and step into the extraordinary and alien aesthetics - to gaze into the cosmos, and to understand that we are only a small part of a much larger ecosystem and solar system itself. As you contemplate our place in the universe and the possibility of extraterrestrial intelligence, immerse yourself in a spectacle that champions love, compassion, inclusion, and accessibility.
“Powered by an electric team of incredible scientists and female, trans, and non-binary artists, this experience reimagines the future of nightlife - on Earth and beyond. I’m beyond excited that everyone can now be part of it, engage their radical imagination and question what other futures could be like. This is all dedicated in loving memory and honour of groundbreaking artist Láwû Makuriye’nt (aka EOBIONT), who tragically passed this week, and who produced the music showcased in Piccadilly Un:Plugged; their spirit, avant-garde vision, and boundless curiosity continues to inspire us all.”
Kirsty Tullett-Jones, Director of Marketing and Communications, Art of London, said: “We’re thrilled to unveil the latest edition of Art After Dark, in collaboration with the incredible Nelly Ben Hayoun-Stépanian and some of London’s most renowned institutions. This free event is open to all, making art accessible for everyone. Join us for this vibrant cultural adventure in the heart of the West End and venture into space with us!”
The Avalanches add: "We’re thrilled to be part of the Piccadilly Un:Plugged happening this weekend. It’s such an interesting and exciting concept to have audio bounced to the Moon and back, and to hear the interpretations and alterations that occur along its 768,802 km journey. We’re honoured our song “We will Always Love You” was chosen to take the interstellar ride.”
Ayse Hassan says: “I feel exceptionally honoured to be involved in such an awe-inspiring experience, sharing the space with other talented beings that do so much for the community. It’s important to have visibility in the mainstream - Beings that represent and provide hope, paving a way for current and future generations to have the confidence to use their voice, pick up an instrument and navigate smashing down any barriers they might face when being true to themselves.”
Professor Simon Garrington, University of Manchester, said: "Using the Earth-Moon-Earth technology to transmit sounds to the Moon and back is a fascinating fusion of science and art. To receive speech and music this way is a technical challenge and requires powerful radio telescopes, such as The University of Manchester's giant Lovell Telescope. What we hear combines our human creativity with signals from the Moon and the cosmos beyond in a truly unique way. The lunar landscape actually imprints itself in the sounds and signals we receive. Astronomers can exploit this to image the surface of planets and asteroids in a similar way to how bats perceive their environment."
Dr. Franck Marchis, Chief Scientific Officer, UNISTELLAR, and Senior Astronomer at the SETI Institute, said: “With our telescopes stationed across the West End during galaxy season - when space is at its most visible - Londoners and visitors alike will have the rare opportunity to experience the wonders of the cosmos firsthand. We’re thrilled to collaborate on this unique event and can’t wait to see what the public discovers!”
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LISTINGS INFORMATION
WHAT: Art of London Presents ‘Art After Dark’
ARTIST: Nelly Ben Hayoun-Stépanian
WHERE: Piccadilly and Leicester Square
DATES: Thursday 6th – Saturday 8th March 2025
MORE INFORMATION: Visit gallery websites for detailed opening times. Nelly Ben Hayoun-Stépanian's artwork will be on display from Thursday 6th March until 8th March 2025. For more information, artoflondon.co.uk/artafterdark
*The space-themed ceramic artworks at the Cabinet of Curiosities in St James’s Market Pavilion were created during a workshop led by Dr. Nelly Ben Hayoun-Stépanian, with a presentation on extraterrestrials’ representation by Dr. Rebecca Mellor, curator of Arts and Visual Culture at the Science Museum, London. The workshop was co-facilitated by the Clayground Collective, the Ceramics Research Centre UK, and Central Saint Martins, alongside local youth groups.
*List of artists and music tracks included in the moonbounce: POME(GRANITE) by EOBIONT- Láwû Makuriye’nte; We Will Always Love You (feat. Blood Orange) by The Avalanches; A Sense of Reality by Ayse Hassan; Only You ft. Klein by Moses Boyd; Everything Is Going According To Plan by Massive Attack; BIOME(TRICS) by Mirrored Fatality; Armenian Heartbeats - Nelly Family, produced with EOBIONT- Láwû Makuriye’nte.
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ABOUT ART OF LONDON
Created by Heart of London Business Alliance in partnership with some of the UK’s leading cultural institutions, Art of London is a major consumer arts initiative that launched in 2020, championing the cultural sector, celebrating art in every form and showcasing the vital role culture plays in society. Visit artoflondon.co.uk for more information.
ABOUT ART AFTER DARK
Art After Dark is part of Art of London’s commitment to showcasing art in every form, delivered by Heart of London Business Alliance in collaboration with Westminster City Council. Since its launch in 2021, its programme has included striking illuminated art in Leicester Square, Piccadilly Circus transformed into a serene night garden, a film from performance artist Marina Abramović in partnership with The Royal Academy on the Piccadilly Lights, and Chila Burman’s glowing installation which was inspired by London’s history and diverse communities. This cultural initiative continues to promote the West End as a hub for world-class arts and culture, with a rich calendar of events and installations throughout the year.
ABOUT NELLY BEN HAYOUN-STÉPANIAN Ph.D (she/they)
Nelly Ben Hayoun-Stépanian PhD (she/they) is an award-winning designer of experiences, creative director, and director with over a decade of experience working to build platforms that support plurality, the creation of organised communities and 'impossible' productions, public events, expeditions, and projects with socio-political impacts. Uncategorisable, she is also a filmmaker, radio host, keynote speaker, amateur boxer and the author and director of five feature-length movies. She is the founder and director of the International Space Orchestra the world’s first orchestra of NASA space scientists and astronauts; and the founder of the tuition-free university - University of the Underground - which includes board members and activists like Prof. Noam Chomsky, Pussy Riot and Prof. Arjun Appadurai, this tuition-free educative and cultural program is supporting plurality of thinking, free and transnational teaching and unconventional practices in the basement of nightclubs since 2017.Her large-scale projects have included collaborations with political activists and artists like Massive Attack and Kid Cudi, The Avalanches, The Savages to name a few.
She is known for challenging institutions from within through events, and she has done so at the United Nations, NASA, International Academy of Astronautics, or the International Astronautical Federation amongst many others. Nelly also has two doppelgangers who work with her to appear at multiple places at the same time, a Barbie doll and a Lego made of herself. Her new feature documentary Doppelgängers³, (SXSW 2024) is a freewheeling filmic essay/ documentary which takes questions of genders, history and free thinking to the frontiers of space exploration; it will have its UK premiere in June 2025. nellyben.com
ABOUT NEW PUBLIC
New Public is a full-service agency delivering projects that activate, enliven and enrich places. Driven by the symbiotic relationship between people and place, and how to realise the true potential of a destination through cultural activations, innovative partnerships and public art. New Public is a women-owned and operated company guided by authenticity, integrity and inclusivity; championing artists and elevating the public realm as democratised civic space. New Public is the public art and placemaking agency for Heart of London Business Alliance, delivering the Art of London programme from 2024 and beyond.
ABOUT JODRELL BANK OBSERVATORY
Jodrell Bank Observatory in Cheshire, England hosts and operates a number of radio telescopes as part of the Jodrell Bank Centre for Astrophysics at the University of Manchester and the e-MERLIN national facility. In 2019 Jodrell Bank was recognised as a UNESCO World Heritage site for its pioneering role in helping to understand the Universe and our place within it. The Lovell Telescope, originally constructed in 1957, remains the third largest telescope of its kind in the world and is still a leading facility for radio astronomy used by hundreds of scientists around the world for research in astrophysics and cosmology. The Moonbounce collaboration is led by Prof. Simon Garrington, Prof. Michael Garrett and PhD student Phoebe Ryder with support from Roger Banks at The DX Shop. For more information, see https://www.jodrellbank.net/ and https://www.jodrellbank.manchester.ac.uk
ABOUT EARTH-MOON-EARTH TECHNOLOGY
The Earth-Moon-Earth (EME) technology used in this project allows sounds to be transmitted to the moon and bounced back to Earth, received at Jodrell Bank Observatory in Cheshire, creating a stunning fusion of science, art, and music. The Lovell Telescope, a key element of this process, is one of the world's largest radio telescopes and plays a pivotal role in the reception of these sounds.
ABOUT UNISTELLAR
UNISTELLAR creates the world's most powerful and easy-to-use smart telescopes. Thanks to exclusive and patented advances in imaging and optics, its range of connected products finally makes observing the sky an immersive voyage among the stars each of us dreams of but has never experienced before. It even pushes the boundaries of technology to enable observing even in the heart of the city and despite light pollution. UNISTELLAR is the market leader in smart telescopes, providing a unique experience of observing and discovering space in the United States, Europe, Japan and worldwide. The company has received three CES Awards in 2018, 2022, and 2025. Through partnerships with renowned scientific organizations such as NASA and the SETI Institute, UNISTELLAR has built the world's first crowdsourced astronomy community. The decisive contribution of the UNISTELLAR network to the study of the DART planetary defense mission has already been recognized by a major scientific journal, Nature. For more information, see http://www.unistellar.com.
During Art After Dark, the public will have the rare opportunity to have a hands-on experience with the eVscope and Odyssey, state of the art smart telescopes developed by UNISTELLAR. The eVscope and Odyssey will truly open up the night sky allowing guests to observe live galaxies, comets and nebulae. UNISTELLAR co-founder and Chief Science Officer Dr. Franck Marchis, as well as astronomer Dr. Lauren Sgro, will be on hand with a team of students from Westminster University, selected in collaboration with the Royal Astronomical Society.
ABOUT SETI INSTITUTE
Founded in 1984, the SETI Institute is a non-profit, multi-disciplinary research and education organization whose mission is to lead humanity's quest to understand the origins and prevalence of life and intelligence in the universe and share that knowledge with the world. Our research encompasses the physical and biological sciences and leverages data analytics, machine learning, and advanced signal detection technologies. The SETI Institute is a distinguished research partner for industry, academia, and government agencies, including NASA and the National Science Foundation.
ABOUT LANDSEC
Piccadilly Lights is an icon. With millions of people passing through Piccadilly Circus each year, it’s a landmark that displays the best and most technologically-advanced advertisements. It also shares news and celebrates achievements through curating experiences by spotlighting causes and supporting worthy partners.
From digital activations to full scale takeovers and events, the 780 sq m screen uses innovative and interactive technology to showcase brands to the world.
Piccadilly Lights are operated by Ocean Outdoor on behalf of Landsec, who have been custodians of the world-renowned screen since 1968, and demonstrates how Landsec look beyond a simple façade to build something that lasts.
Landsec’s Art After Dark partner is CIRCA, the platform renowned for showcasing digital art in public spaces. https://circa.art/about/
ABOUT CERAMICS RESEARCH CENTRE UK
The Ceramics Research Centre (CRC-UK) is led by Professor Clare Twomey and its current members are Research Associate Phoebe Cummings, Senior Lecturer Tessa Peters, Emerita Professor Christie Brown, and Emeritus Professor Nigel Wood.
The CRC-UK is a leader in debates surrounding international contemporary ceramic practice. Its work has been central to the re-evaluation of the position of ceramics in contemporary art and museum culture. The members’ practice-based and theoretical investigations of ceramic installation and the associated dialogues around museum intervention, curatorial practice and audience engagement have had an impact on gallery and museum policy. In generating new ways of thinking and creating new forms of artistic expression their work has had an influence beyond the academy and increased public engagement with contemporary ceramics. The field of research has additionally been developed through the work of the Centre’s doctoral students and recent PhD successes.
ABOUT CLAYGROUND COLLECTIVE UK
The not-for-profit, award winning charity Clayground Collective formed in 2007 works nationally and internationally with a wide range of partners, including schools, youth groups, libraries, galleries, developers, heritage sites, festivals, third sector charity and private organisations. It has made a significant contribution through the development of social innovation and community engagement strategies that utilise the materiality of clay and the act of making to engage publics - from general to specialist - through creative practice and discipline leadership.
Clayground Collective comprises Duncan Hooson and Julia Rowntree as founder members together with Claire West as co-directors. Clayground is an educational organisation that questions the necessity of ceramics skills and exploring clay the material in its broadest context, Duncan Hooson is Reader in Knowledge Exchange, Socially Engaged Ceramics Practice at Central Saint Martins, BA Ceramic Design, UAL, London.
Ceramic workshop in collaboration with Anthony Quinn, Reader of Ceramic Design and Course Leader BA Ceramic Design with final year student assistants, Arianna Magana-Jones Orly Kritzman Kadron, Alex Morante, and Georgia Weston from Central Saint Martins UAL. www.claygroundcollective.org
