Fifty years after Neil Armstrong’s feat, YellowKorner gets to play its part in this epic lunar adventure. The beauty of this heavenly body, first conquered 50 years ago, is captured for eternity through a series of otherworldly photographs pervaded by a wonderful sense of silence.
These images can be seen on the YellowKorner website and in all YellowKorner galleries during the months of June and July.

The historic event took place during the night of the 20th to 21st July 1969, almost 50 years ago. Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin walked on the moon – the first people to do so. The astronauts spent over two hours on the moon’s surface and returned to earth safe and sound four days later. YellowKorner wishes to pay tribute to their amazing exploit through these remarkable snapshots in time.
 
This commemorative event sees YellowKorner join forces with NightScapades, the first event devoted to astrophotography, the photography of astronomical objects and the night sky. This festival is designed to whisk you away on a journey of discovery – the discovery of the star-studded night sky – and it runs from 18th to 21st July in Lourdes and the surrounding ‘Vallées des Gaves’ area.

Interview with Alexandre de Metz, YellowKorner co-founder

YellowKorner seems particularly interested and even emotionally invested in the 50th anniversary of the first moon landing. You weren’t even alive at this time, so how come it has been such an inspiration to you?

Every generation has been marked by this event, by the enormous leap in progress and the sheer symbolism encapsulated in the first step on the moon. It’s something of a collective dream which actually came true and which exerted – and continues to exert – a tremendous fascination over all humankind.
  
How did you choose the photographs that are going to be on display?

From historic photographs sourced from NASA archives to more artistic interpretations showing the moon in a fresh light, it’s just one small step! YellowKorner has chosen to showcase photographs which clearly reveal something of the meaning that the photographer was seeking to communicate and which let the soul of the photographer shine through.
 

For the purposes of this celebratory event, you have partnered with NightScapades – the first festival dedicated to astrophotography. How did this partnership come about?

YellowKorner is always looking for ways to support contemporary creatives and initiatives which enable up-and-coming artists to create art and show their work in public. NightScapade has a very similar vision and boasts specific expertise in the field of night sky photography – both of which are excellent reasons for us to work together. YellowKorner will offer prizes to the four winners of the four categories in the Photo NightScape Awards in the shape of a voucher with which they can buy works of art photography. This is another way in which we can support young artists and promote greater appreciation for the art of photography.

Fifty years after the Apollo program, Nasa has set itself the goal of landing an astronaut on Mars by the year 2033. What do you think of this new endeavour in the field of Space exploration?

My attitude is one of both amusement and curiosity, since that which exists outside the boundaries of the Earth also serves to define the Earth. The conquest of Space whets our imagination like nothing else can – everything is pristine, ripe for discovery, anything seems possible. In 2033, I hope to be watching live footage of the first people to set foot on Mars – and to have seen others go back to the Moon.