University of Liverpool Research Inspires Major Art Installation Featured in Saatchi Gallery Summer Exhibition

University of Liverpool Research Inspires Major Art Installation Featured in Saatchi Gallery Summer Exhibition

(IN BRIEF) The University of Liverpool will showcase research-informed artwork at the Saatchi Gallery in London as part of the exhibition The Sun and The Moon Art Inspired by the Celestial. The featured installation, My Body is a Sundial by artist Bryony Ella, is based on interdisciplinary research from the Melting Metropolis project led by Professor Chris Pearson. The project explores the relationship between climate change, health, and urban environments through a combination of historical, ethnographic, and community-based research. The exhibition brings together a wide range of artworks examining the influence of celestial bodies on culture and science, offering visitors a multidisciplinary experience. Running from June to September, the showcase highlights how academic research can inform creative expression and public engagement with global challenges.

(PRESS RELEASE) LIVERPOOL, 17-Apr-2026 — /EuropaWire/ — University of Liverpool is set to feature prominently at London’s Saatchi Gallery this summer, as research-driven artwork influenced by its humanities and environmental science studies becomes part of the major exhibition The Sun and The Moon Art Inspired by the Celestial.

The featured installation, titled My Body is a Sundial, has been developed by research artist Bryony Ella and draws on historical and ethnographic insights generated through the Melting Metropolis project. This interdisciplinary initiative is led by Professor Chris Pearson at the University of Liverpool and brings together researchers, artists, and community collaborators across institutions, including Queens College City University of New York, as well as participants in London and New York.

The sculpture represents a fusion of academic research and artistic expression, translating complex themes around climate, health, and urban living into a large-scale visual experience. A live performance connected to the work is also scheduled to take place on 19 June as part of the gallery’s “Saatchi Late” programme.

Melting Metropolis is a major multi-year research initiative examining how rising temperatures and climate-related challenges intersect with public health and everyday life in major cities. Funded through a Wellcome Discovery Award, the project combines archival research, oral histories, ethnographic methods, and community engagement to explore how urban populations have historically experienced and responded to heat and environmental change.

The broader exhibition at the Saatchi Gallery spans two floors and nine gallery spaces, bringing together a wide range of artistic works that explore the cultural, scientific, and symbolic significance of the sun and the moon across different societies and time periods. Visitors will encounter a diverse array of media, including sculpture, painting, photography, film, fashion, textiles, and immersive installations created by both established and emerging artists.

Running from 5 June to 8 September, the exhibition is supported by Cazenove Capital and offers audiences an opportunity to engage with themes that bridge art, science, and human experience through a contemporary lens.

Media Contact:

Joanne Carr
Deputy Director of Communications and Public Affairs
T: +44 (0)7825 434900
E: jocarr@liverpool.ac.uk

SOURCE: University of Liverpool