The collapsed Floating Earth sculpture was an accidental perfect metaphor for the climate crisis
A main attraction of the Lightwaves Festival in Salford Quays, Floating Earth, a sculpture by Luke Jerram showing the globe hovering above the water, ran into a spot of trouble when bad weather made it unsafe to connect it to the necessary power.
Here’s how the 10-metre diameter piece looks when it’s working.
Heading to Salford @QuaysCulture to attempt to install this giant 10m Floating Earth artwork outside @The_Lowry & @BBCWorld @BBCNews in high winds and freezing temperatures. What could possibly go wrong ?! pic.twitter.com/oqi0PU2GzQ
— Luke Jerram (@lukejerram) November 30, 2021
Simply stunning.
But this is how it looled without power.
The floating earth is sinking! 😲🌍
A rescue mission is underway to save Luke Jerram's ‘floating earth’ which took a battering in this weekend's windy weather pic.twitter.com/Kni4c9NifY
— BBC North West (@BBCNWT) December 5, 2021
It couldn’t have represented the climate crisis more accurately if it had been planned.
Feels like an appropriate statement on the world and global warming! https://t.co/j6CR6sZeiT
— Holly Franklin-Trubshawe (@HTrub88) December 6, 2021
accidental powerful work https://t.co/NgzgC0z3h3
— Hettaverse® (@danhett) December 5, 2021
Anyone need a heavy-handed metaphor? https://t.co/CTrjvoiIx7
— Grace Fletcher-Hackwood (@msgracefh) December 5, 2021
Art imitating life.
— Jesus Christ (@ResurrectedDude) December 6, 2021
I think this is a much more on-the-nose metaphor than was probably intended… https://t.co/1zpJ69KMQN
— Charlotte Nichols (@charlotte2153) December 5, 2021
For Floating Earth, there was a happy ending.
FLOATING EARTH IS BACK!
Huge thanks for your patience and messages of support.
Visit from 5pm – 10pm as part of Lightwaves, tonight until Sun 12 Dec.
📷 Gunner Gu pic.twitter.com/fDNQhO0vWk
— QuaysCulture (@QuaysCulture) December 9, 2021
Not sure about the actual Earth.
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Source BBC North West Image Screengrab, BBC North West
