Kim Simonsson – Moss Girl with Lamp, 2022

In the past few years, Finnish artist Kim Simonsson has been creating ceramic sculptures coated with a layer of near-fluorescent green nylon fibre. Inspired by Scandinavian fairy tales, manga culture and video games, the pieces depict childlike beings called Moss People. These intrepid characters embody responses to being put to the test by natural elements: some turn into ice sculptures while others, apparently covered in moss, seem to become an integral part of the plant world. Simonsson’s nomads, who at the very most carry a rucksack or an animal travelling companion – seem at home everywhere: in the Fagor Factory, the Musée Guimet, the Musée Gadagne, the Musée Fourvière, the Musée Lugdunum, URDLA and macLYON. The Moss People make up a wonderful yet disturbing world, summoning the power of memory and the audience’s imagination.

Also on view at the Guimet Museum, the Gadagne museum, Lugdunum - Musée et théâtres romains, the Fagor factories, URDLA and the macLYON.