The Gaia Show at Millennium Point: spectacular art installation of earth is coming to Birmingham

An incredible art installation show of the earth’s surface is coming to Birmingham next week.

The Gaia show, which will take place at Millennium Point, uses detailed NASA imagery of the Earth’s surface on a globe measuring seven metres in diameter.

The show provides those watching with a unique perspective of our own planet floating in three dimensions.

By standing 211m away from the artwork, visitors will be able to see the Earth as it appears from the moon.

The illuminated sculpture of earth also aims to reflect the experience for astronauts who feel ‘an of awe for the planet’ as well as a ‘renewed sense of responsibility for taking care of the environment’.

The artwork is 1.8 million times smaller than the real Earth with each centimetre of the internally lit sculpture describing 18km of the Earth’s surface.

A specially made surround sound composition by BAFTA award winning Composer Dan Jones is played alongside the sculpture.

What’s been said about the show?

Luke says the artwork also acts as a mirror to major events in society.

On the Gaia website, Luke says: “I hope visitors to Gaia get to see the Earth as if from space; an incredibly beautiful and precious place.

“An ecosystem we urgently need to look after – our only home. Halfway through the Earth’s six mass extinction, we urgently need to wake up, and change our behaviour. We need to quickly make the changes necessary, to prevent run away Climate Change.

“I was amazed and delighted that my Museum of the Moon artwork has been so popular. I’m fully aware that 10 million members of the public haven’t been coming to see an artwork by ‘Luke Jerram’ but rather ‘the Moon’; an object of universal appeal and cultural significance. With this Gaia Earth artwork, I’m interested in just how different the experience and interpretation is.

“For our entire human existence we have been gazing up at the moon and projecting all our hopes, dreams and wishes up there. Whereas it was only in 1968 that we were able to see our planet floating as a blue marble in space. “

When is the Birmingham show taking place?

The show will take place everyday from Tuesday 1 February until Monday 28.

The show will be available to view for free, from 8am to 11pm during the eight weeks.

Click here for more information.

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