A half-moon installation rises from the gobi desert

On the eve of the Mid-Autumn Festival in August 2022, ‘A full moon by the crescent spring’ by Weijun Lin illuminated an ancient oasis in the Gobi Desert with a celestial half-moon installation. Perched on the cusp of the Crescent Spring in Dunhuang, China, the project was a creative collaboration between five cross-media artists who were invited to encapsulate the spirit of the Chinese festival and preserve the ecological environment and culture of the city.

Exuding a sense of serenity and delicacy across the expansive desert, the luminous installation took shape as a 5-meter wide, spray painted half-moon, symbolizing hope and prosperity. As visitors gathered at the scenic destination to celebrate the full moon overhead, the semi-spherical volume was reflected by the shallow spring, forming an illusion of a full moon emerging from the landscape.