Luke Jerram’s Gaia, the world-renowned miniaturized planet Earth that tours across the globe, is back in London this summer, at the Kensington and Chelsea Festival.
The internally-lit spherical sculpture is a helium-filled balloon.2.1 million times smaller than the real Earth. The artwork measures seven metres in diameter and it was created from detailed 120dpi NASA images of the surface of the Earth, as though seen from space.
At night or in darker spaces, its realistic glow showcases the Earth’s splendour and fragility, being designed to awaken a sense of awe for visitors of all ages as they consider their impact on the planet. This experience is known as the Overview Effect and it was first described by author Frank White in 1987. It refers to what astronauts feel when seeing the Planet from afar. This life-changing sensation is characterized by a deeper understanding of the interconnection of all life and a higher sense of obligation for taking care of the environment.
It is such a rare opportunity to admire a space perspective of the Earth! You’re invited to experience the Gaia Earth Sculpture in the following locations:
St John the Baptist Church, Holland Road, W14 8AH (Thursday 28 July to Saturday 6 August);
All Saints’ Church, Clydesdale Road, London W11 1JS (Tuesday 9 to Sunday 14 August).
Viewers will also enjoy a surround sound composition by BAFTA award-winning Composer Dan Jones, which will be played alongside the installation.
Artist Luke Jerram said: “It's a great pleasure to present my artwork right in the heart of London for the Kensington and Chelsea Festival. I hope visitors to Gaia get to see the Earth as if from space; an incredibly beautiful and precious place. We have an ecosystem we urgently need to look after – our only home. Halfway through the Earth’s sixth mass extinction, we urgently need to wake up, and change our behaviour. We need to quickly make the changes necessary, to prevent climate change. There really is no Planet B!”
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