The Permanent Lunar Installation in Mare Frigoris (6 June 2025)
Earth-Based Aluminium Counterpart – the aluminum sculpture, identical in form to the lunar original
STS-128 Orbital Artefact – The original foldable house transported into Earth orbit during the STS-128 mission to the International Space Station in 2009.
Complete Archive & Provenance – Including mission integration records, technical documentation, photography, video documentation, correspondence and Swedish governmental authorisation (ref. U2024/02274).
THE ACQUISITION
The work consists of the following components:
The Artist
Mikael Genberg (b. 1963) is a Swedish conceptual artist whose practice spans more than three decades.
His works explore the displacement of domestic structures into unfamiliar environments, including tree canopies, underwater landscapes, Earth orbit and the lunar surface.
The Moonhouse extends this ongoing body of work beyond Earth.
Artistic Context
The Moonhouse joins a small lineage of artworks associated with the lunar surface.
These include the Moon Museum attached to Apollo 12 in 1969, Paul Van Hoeydonck’s Fallen Astronaut placed on the Moon during Apollo 15 in 1971, and the lunar sculptures sent by Jeff Koons in 2024.
The Moonhouse differs in that it forms part of a continuous artistic practice developed over more than two decades and realised through formal governmental authorisation under Swedish space legislation.
The work situates the archetypal image of home within the lunar landscape.
Provenance & Legal Standing
The Moonhouse is the first privately initiated artwork on the lunar surface with formal governmental authorisation from Sweden.
In March 2025 the Swedish Ministry of Education and Research granted official permission under the Act on Space Activities. The decision (ref. U2024/02274) establishes the authorised transport and placement of the artwork under Swedish space legislation.
Full legal documentation and chain of custody are included.
Documentation
The acquisition includes a complete archival record comprising:
documentation of the artistic development process (1999–2025)
mission integration and launch records
available imagery and technical documentation from the landing sequence
Swedish governmental authorisation documents
certificate of authenticity signed by the artist
a dedicated publication accompanying the work
Acquisition enquiries
The Moonhouse is available through private acquisition and selected international auction houses.
For institutional and acquisition enquiries:
Hans Elis Johansson
+46 (0)70-XXX XX XX
60.44°N, 4.6°W
Mare Frigoris, the Moon.
