Page 33 - Art First: Simon Morley: Lost Horizon

Blue Moon Nos.1–5

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In Lost Horizon, Shangri-La is located in the Valley of the Blue Moon
somewhere in the Himalayas. I have painted fragments of the moon’s surface,
and below them is a caption–label of the name for the perfect community.

I wanted to try an East Asian painting format—the tall, thin hanging-scroll—
which is intended to be rolled up and so is highly portable.e works are painted
on Korean mulberry paper in acrylic paint. I was interested in giving a strong

visual contrast between blue and white, but I reduce the image to a very simple
code, so it is not easy to ‘read’ close up or see as an image.