In November 2020 the Art and Energy Collective created a UV installation composed at Cockington Court in Devon. #CourtMoths was made of hundreds of hand-crafted moths cut from plastic milk bottles, and decorated with black and UV marker pens.

We began by setting two moth traps at Cockington Court in order to find out more about local moths. We also asked the local community to share their moth stories with us, and to create their own plastic moths to add to the installation.

Check out the videos below to find out more…

The finished installation!

Instructions to make your own moths!

Art and Energy in residence at Cockington Court making moths!

This video shows us setting up two mothtraps at Cockington Court, and then returning in the morning to reveal our moth visitors… great inspiration for our milk bottle moths!

Do you have any stories or photos of moths visiting Cockington Court?
We would love to hear from you! Email us at hello@artandenergy.org, or pop a note through the Cockington Court front door letterbox, f.a.o Moths To A Flame.

For more info keep an eye here, on the hayloft windows and @CockingtonCourt on Facebook.

Download your copy pf the template sheet here

Moths to a Flame (in development) by Art and Energy at Illuminate in Plymouth - UV Glow in the Dark

Solar Powered Moth Trap and Solar Panel artwork 'Moth Moon' Moths to a Flame (in development) by Art and Energy at Illuminate in Plymouth - UV Glow in the Dark

Solar Panel artwork 'Moth Moon' Moths to a Flame (in development) by Art and Energy at Illuminate in Plymouth - UV Glow in the Dark

Family making - Moths to a Flame (in development) by Art and Energy at Illuminate in Plymouth - UV Glow in the Dark

Project in development - Moths to a Flame (in development) by Art and Energy at Illuminate in Plymouth - UV Glow in the Dark

Everyone can make - Moths to a Flame (in development) by Art and Energy at Illuminate in Plymouth - UV Glow in the Dark

Everyone can make their own - Moths to a Flame (in development) by Art and Energy at Illuminate in Plymouth - UV Glow in the Dark

People making - Moths to a Flame (in development) by Art and Energy at Illuminate in Plymouth - UV Glow in the Dark

Participant in Moths to a Flame (in development) by Art and Energy at Illuminate in Plymouth - UV Glow in the Dark

Art and Energy want to make a new artwork for COP 26

At the UN’s Climate Change Conference (COP 21) in Paris, in 2015, for the first time in human history, all nations were united in the common cause to undertake ambitious efforts to combat climate change and adapt to its effects.

COP 26 will be held in Glasgow in November 2020, and the Art and Energy Collective and Plymouth Energy Community want to create an artwork that speaks of our relationship with energy, the destructive nature of our old systems and that gathers our voices together to press for system change.

We want to send a message to leaders that we are willing to participate, aware of the consequences of inaction and understand the importance of the individual in making positive change.

Plans for a solar powered art installation made by hundreds of people in the South West of England

In our first steps to develop this new artwork, we developed an installation with Plymouth Energy Community Volunteers for the Illuminate Festival in Plymouth (26 Nov – 2 Dec 2019).

Participants helped us to make 160 Moths which were suspended around a solar powered moth trap. The moths’ wings decorated in UV paint revealed colours that were only visible under black light.

Over the next year, we would like to develop a much larger installation bringing together the voices of people from the South West and asking our policy makers for system change around energy, to save us, our natural world and the planet from our dependence on the energy systems of old.

Please get in touch with our team if you can help us realise this ambitious piece.