Gaia by Luke Jerram: an out of this world experience is coming to the Landmark Arts Centre this summer…
Luke Jerram’s world famous artwork, Gaia, is going on display at the Landmark Arts Centre this summer as the focal point of the Richmond Arts & Ideas festival from 16 June to 2 July.
Led by Richmond Arts Service, local cultural and community organisations are uniting for the first ever Arts & Ideas Festival, a celebration of the borough with a programme bursting with family friendly events, cutting-edge artwork, and discussion panels. Gaia will be the anchor of the festival and catalyst to spark conversation on the theme of Together & Change.
The Landmark is giving away thousands of free tickets to see Gaia, making the art installation accessible to all. Donations will be welcome, and booking is required. As a festival partner, the Landmark is also offering its own programme of events to complement Gaia, including late night openings, music concerts and family activities.
Measuring seven metres in diameter and suspended inside the Landmark’s stunning space, Gaia features high-resolution NASA imagery of Earth’s surface* and slowly revolves as a specially composed surround sound by BAFTA award-winning composer, Dan Jones is played alongside the sculpture.
Commenting on his latest project, Luke Jerram said: “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 sixth 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.”
The installation creates a sense of the ‘Overview Effect,’ which was first described by author Frank White in 1987. Common features of this experience for astronauts are a feeling of awe for the planet, a profound understanding of the interconnection of all life, and a renewed sense of responsibility for taking care of the environment. Gaia is a visual representation of the fragility and beauty of the earth.
The Landmark’s Director, Harper Ray, said: “We’re delighted to be able to give away £50,000 worth of tickets to see this incredible artwork. The Landmark has wanted this epic sculpture for a long time. When the Richmond Arts & Ideas Festival was announced, we thought it was the perfect opportunity. Gaia is a real highlight for our audiences. It’s also a chance for the Landmark to draw attention to issues of sustainability and climate change.”
Gaia has been created in partnership with the Natural Environment Research Council (NERC), Bluedot and the UK Association for Science and Discovery Centres. *The imagery for the artwork has been compiled
from Visible Earth series, NASA.
Paid Partnership
To book tickets and for details on the Landmark Gaia events
landmarkartscentre.org/gaia/
For information on the Richmond Arts & Ideas Festival
richmondartsandideas.com
