www.aeolus.org.uk
Aeolus was the Greek God of the four winds
Aeolus is a giant stringed musical instrument, an acoustic and optical pavilion designed to make audible the silent shifting patterns of the wind and to visually amplify the ever changing sky. Aeolus is a giant aeolian harp, designed to resonate and sing with the wind without any electrical power or amplification. Vibrations in strings attached to some of the tubes are transferred through skins covering the tops, and projected down through the tubes towards the viewer standing beneath the arch.
Reflecting the Landscape of light
Beneath the arch a viewer can look out through a field of 310 internally polished stainless steel tubes simultaneously, each of which draws the landscape of light through the structure whilst humming at a series of low frequencies. These light pipes act to frame, invert and magnify the landscape around the pavilion enabling the viewer to contemplate an ever changing landscape of light. As the clouds and sun move across the sky throughout the day, the visual experience for the public will dramatically alter minute by minute, hour by hour.
"My wife and I visited the Aeolus at Eden, just had to say this is usually not my thing but I was in awe of this amazing piece of engineering and the sounds were just beautiful truly inspirational." Visitor
At the Eden Project 2011
The listening posts are arranged in a circle around the artwork creating an overall diameter of 36m.
At Lyme Park, Cheshire 2011.
An investigation into acoustics, wind, architecture and light, Aeolus was inspired by Luke Jerram's research trip to Iran in 2007 where he explored the mosques of Isfahan and interviewed a Qanat desert well digger about his life. The well digger spoke of the wells singing in the wind which led Jerram to investigate the acoustics of architecture and create this new work.
Mock up of the artwork on water
At MediaCityUK,Salford 2011
There was no room for the listening posts that surround the sculpture so we attached the strings to nearby trees and lamposts
Day to Night
The artwork can be lit at night. Optional.
Emma Ridgway, Senior Curator, Royal Society for the Arts, London. “Building on Jerram’s exploration of human perception Aeolus promises to do what art does best, which is to re-sensitise us to life by amplifying elements of everyday experience. Aeolus brings together contemporary engineering and art to address our relationship to the natural environment, making it a timely and worthwhile new work.”
Maggie Bolt. Director of Public Art South West. "I was bowled over by Aeolus – it was mesmerising – a truly beautiful and calming piece – fantastic project – thank you for the experience."
Practical information
Designed by ARUP to British engineering standards the artwork is made of 316 stainless steel and weighs 10tons. The arch is 9m long and 3m wide. At its highest point it is 6m tall. The listening posts are arranged in a circle around the artwork creating an overall diameter of 35m. Without listening posts the artwork takes up a much smaller space.
Installation takes 4 days with Luke Jerram’s experienced install crew. www.aeolus.or.uk contains films and more information about the artwork.
Background on the Artist Luke Jerram
Luke Jerram’s practice involves the creation of sculptures, installations, live arts projects. Since his professional career as an artist began in Luke has created a number of extraordinary art projects which have excited and inspired people around the globe. His celebrated street pianos installation 'Play Me, I'm Yours' is currently touring and being shown in different cities around the world. Launched by Mayor Bloomberg in NYC, the installation was described by the press as the latest major artwork in the city, since The Gates by Christo and Jeanne-Claud and The Waterfalls by Olafur Eliasson.
Commissioned for the London Olympics and LIFT in 2011, Jerram’s hot air balloon artwork, The Sky Orchestra were commissioned by Mayor of London to celebrate 1year to go before the Olympics
Jerram's Glass Microbiology sculptures are in Museum collections around the world. In 2010 he was awarded The Rakow Award for this work and a fellowship at the Museum of Glass, Washington. In 2009 his sculptures were presented at Mori Museum, Tokyo along with work by Damien Hirst, Warhol and Leonardo da Vinci. His work is currently on show at the MAD (Museum of Art and Design),NYC. www.lukejerram.com
Press Coverage of Aeolus 2011-2012
Discovery Channel Canadian TV Watch The Times subscription needed to see. BBC TV Persian TV – watch The Guardian read Discovery News Aeolus in London. read Londist read London24 read DesignBoom read Ingenia Magazine 2012 The Telegraph Aeolus at Eden Project view Daily Mail Aeolus at Eden Project view PCWorld view Financial Times read The Independent Newspapert Aeolus at Eden Project Flybe November issue. In flight Magazine BBC Radio Manchester BBC North West Tonight 5th August - Lyme Park Design Week read The Telegraph Aeolus at Eden Project view
More International Press Coverage about Jerram’s other artworks
LA Times Play Me, I'm Yours in LA. read New York Times Glass Microbiology at Museum of Art and Design, NYC. Broadway World Play Me, I'm Yours in LA. read KTLA. Play Me, I'm Yours in LA. Watch ABC News. Play Me, I'm Yours in LA. Watch Discovery News Aeolus in London. read The Guardian Aeolus in London. read Prima Hora Puerto Rico. Play Me, I'm Yours in San Juan read London24 Aeolus in Canary Wharf, London read The Telegraph Sky Orchestra over London read Independent Picture of the Day. Sky Orchestra over London read BBC1 (London and Points West news) Sky Orchestra over London Watch ICON Magazine May2011. pg.3 Glasswork read Guardian Sky Orchestra over London Watch Telegraaf Netherlands Play Me, I'm Yours in Tilburg read Delfi Cultura Latvian Culture Show. Plant Orchestra in Riga. read DutchNews Play Me, I'm Yours in Tilburg watch China Daily Sky Orchestra over London read National Post photos of the Day view Wired Magazine Sky Orchestra over London read London24 Sky Orchestra over London read The Metro Sky Orchestra over London read KVUE, Austin Tx Play Me I'm yours Watch Adelaide Now Play Me I'm yours watch ABC Radio Australia. Play Me I'm yours. Listen The Observer UK. Pg5. Portrait Projecting Ring.
Mayor Bloomberg launching Jerram’s artwork Play Me, I’m Yours in NYC 2010. 2010
The Observer Glass sculptures read BBC Radio4 Play Me,I'm Yours. Listen BBC1 - Points West News Glass sculptures Watch Sky News Play Me,I'm Yours NYC See Daily Telegraph My RSC Gallery Read Wired Magazine Portrait Projecting Ring Read NY Times Play Me,I'm Yours NYC Read Wall Street Journal Play Me,I'm Yours NYC Read ITN Play Me,I'm Yours NYC Watch Independent on Sunday Play Me,I'm Yours NYC read CNN Play Me,I'm Yours NYC Watch NY Post Watch NY Times Infectious Beauty Heller Gallery read Bloomberg Infectious Beauty Heller Gallery read Discovery Channel News Infectious Beauty Heller Gallery read ABC News "Person of the week" Watch ABC News Play Me,I'm Yours NYC Vanity Fair Magazine Play Me,I'm Yours NY read Nature Journal - Structure & Molecular Biology. Glass sculptures read NY1 TV ´Play Me, I´m Yours´ in NYC Watch El Pais ´Play Me, I´m Yours´ in Barcelona read TV3 ´Play Me, I´m Yours´ in Barcelona Watch Deutsche Welle Play Me, I´m Yours´Watch LA Times Magazine. The Style List. Glass sculptures read Popular Science Magazine. Glass sculptures read
The Times Nature Journal
The Independent on Sunday Le Temps, France
The Guardian