More than thirty one thousand people visited the recent Floating Earth installation at Queen’s Valley Reservoir over the 12 day display period, according to organisers.
The piece, created by artist Luke Jerram and presented by ArtHouse Jersey in partnership with Jersey Water, was part of the art charity’s current project No Place Like Home, an ambitious, multifaceted exhibition considering how each of us thinks of home and our place in the universe. The visitor numbers suggest that Floating Earth by Luke Jerram was one of the most attended arts events to have ever taken place in the Island.
This piece was created from NASA imagery of the Earth’s surface, providing the opportunity to see our planet floating in three dimensions. It sought to generate the feelings of awe that astronauts report feeling when viewing the planet from space (otherwise known as the Overview Effect), a profound understanding of the interconnection of all life, and a renewed sense of responsibility for taking care of the environment.
From the moment the installation took its place at the reservoir, the public were attracted to it, many travelling by bike, foot and public transport. Many visitors reported they would not ordinarily attend an art gallery, however shared their moving and profound emotions experienced when spending time with the installation. Thousands of images and videos were shared across social media channels with Floating Earth’s capture potential presenting a welcome platform for the community’s creative side. ArtHouse Jersey were delighted that many schools, charities and community groups came along to enjoy the work, with some visiting more than once.
Director of ArtHouse Jersey, Tom Dingle, said: “As expected, Floating Earth proved to be an astounding hit with Islanders. We wanted to deliver something that offered a sense of universal recognition, something unforgettable that everyone in the community could relate to, without exception. To welcome such an incredible cross-section of the community to the reservoir was fantastic.
“Our sincere thanks go to our partners Jersey Water, the Bailiff’s Chambers, the parish authorities and generous neighbours who all significantly contributed to this incredible experience. This piece was just one installation that forms part of our exhibition ‘No Place Like Home’, currently showing at Capital House. Projects such as these are only possible due to the increased investment in the arts that the Government has provided through its commitment of 1% spend for arts, heritage and culture; I think that this is just one of a number of initiatives that hopefully
give the public a flavour of the return on that investment.”
CEO for Jersey Water, Helier Smith, said: “Floating Earth was quite possibly the most unique and well-attended event Jersey has experienced for some time, attracting and captivating thousands of people of all ages across our diverse Island communities. We are immensely proud to have partnered with local arts charity ArtHouse Jersey to bring the installation to the Island and in doing so bring joy to so many.
“We hope, as intended, it has presented a fresh perspective of planet earth and the shared responsibility we all have to protect it. We will always try to support initiatives where we can make a positive impact for Islanders and Island life. So many groups collaborated to make this event possible, from the teams at Jersey Water and ArtHouse Jersey working and volunteering around the clock to the support we received from the parishes and Bailiff’s Office. In particular, we want to acknowledge the neighbouring residents for their understanding and patience over the past two weeks while tens of thousands of people have visited Queen’s Valley reservoir.”
Pictured: Floating Earth by Luke Jerram. Credit: Max Burnett
