Our display of Gaia ended on 4 September 2019. For details of our current exhibitions, take a look at our what’s on page.
We displayed Luke Jerram’s spectacular artwork Gaia, a detailed sculpture of Earth measuring seven metres in diameter.
We have gazed up at the Moon for millennia, but the first time humankind got to see the Earth in its entirety—as a ‘Blue Marble’ floating in space—was in 1972 with NASA’s Apollo 17 mission. Our perception and understanding of our planet changed forever. Hanging in the black emptiness of space, the Earth seems isolated, precious and fragile.
Gaia, a touring artwork by Luke Jerram, is a stunning replica of our planet, created using 120dpi detailed NASA imagery of the Earth’s surface. The sculpture provides an incredible opportunity to view Earth as it might be seen from space, floating in three dimensions.
Gaia at the Natural History Museum, London, 2018
Gaia at Liverpool Cathedral, 2019
Gareth Jones
Gaia at Hsinchu New Year Festival, Taiwan, 2019
Luke Jerram and Gaia
National Environment Research Council (NERC)
View of the Earth seen by the Apollo 17 crew traveling toward the Moon, 1972
NASALooking up at Gaia, some have experienced the ‘overview effect’. Author Frank White coined the term in 1987 to describe the cognitive shift experienced by astronauts when viewing Earth from space. Common features of the experience 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.
A specially made composition by BAFTA Award-winning composer Dan Jones was played alongside the sculpture.
About Luke Jerram
Luke Jerram’s multidisciplinary practice involves the creation of sculptures, installations and live arts projects. Living in the UK but working internationally since 1997, Jerram has created a number of extraordinary art projects which have excited and inspired people around the globe. He is known worldwide for his large scale public artworks including Museum of the Moon, Glass Microbiology and Play Me, I’m Yours.