Gaia is a rotating 7-metre globe featuring the NASA imagery of the earth’s surface from outer space and marks the 50th anniversary of the moon landings in 1969. It is the creation of artist Luke Jerram and is floating under the spire crossing of Salisbury Cathedral. In Greek mythology, Gaia is the personification of the earth and this installation is a timely backdrop to the debate about how our fragile planet should be preserved for future generations. It is a wonderful opportunity to see earth as the first astronauts in space viewed our blue planet.

Bristol-based artist Luke Jerram has been working internationally since 1997. He is known worldwide for his large-scale artworks, having created a number of extraordinary art projects which have excited and inspired people. Gaia is his latest installation, the centrepiece of this year’s Salisbury International Arts Festival, running until 9th June 2019 in conjunction with Salisbury Cathedral. Gaia has been shown in Hong Kong and Taiwan and will be displayed in other countries. Many of his artworks are in permanent collections including the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York and the Wellcome Collection in London. His artworks have been commissioned by major institutions such as the British Council, the Commonwealth Games 2014 and 2018, and the United Nations.

The Salisbury Festival, which came to life in 1973 with a mixed artistic programme, takes place for two weeks every year, making the buildings, streets and open spaces of this cathedral city come alive with creativity and artistic excellence. This year the theme is the fragility of our planet told in music, poetry, plays and discussions with nuclear and climate specialists.

Luke Jerram’s inspiration came from NASA’s images of earth from outer space. He says, ‘I hope visitors to Gaia get to see the earth as 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 runaway climate change. There really is no Planet B.’