About This Project

In Pursuit of the Moon is an evolving body of work by artist Catherine Togher-Ward. 

Informed by themes of desire, temporality and transformation, this project aims to investigate our nature through its exploration of the tumultuous relationships between moth, man and moon in a continuous cycle of obsession, pursuit and destruction.

The works below are inspired by my investigation into sericulture (silk production) and how I believe the fetishisation of unnecessary suffering for the sake of production that is so deeply ingrained within us is mirrored within its processes. 

As we breed, boil and discard silkworms for the sake of the production of items of beauty and status, a species of moth is created that is unable to see the light of the moon or lift itself in its pursuit

The process of this project's production involves the hand raising of over 500 wax moths on soft ground copper plates. On these plates the moths lived out their entire lives with each movement from larva to moth leaving a unique impression in the ground. These markings were then etched and printed, capturing their metamorphosis in paper and ink. Displayed alongside these etchings is a series of post mortem photographic portraits of the moths, suspended in time in their endless pursuit. 

Metamorphosis is often likened to transformation of the self. In this project I propose a comparison between our disregard for the metamorphosis of the Bombyx Mori in the pursuit of profit, status and beauty to our own self sacrifice for the sake of productivity. I believe that the transformation of metamorphosis from the abstract and conceptual into the tangible and visible gives us an opportunity to confront ourselves with the beauty and importance of the smaller and quieter parts of the world around us.