Bridgwater's Fallen Moon art project ends after Storm Ashley damage
Bridgwater's Fallen Moon project has come to an end after the artwork suffered damage during Storm Ashley at the weekend. Bridgwater Town Council confirmed the ambitious project has ended after council officers found significant damage to the electronics and multiple tears in the fabric of the moon.
The moon "deflated" amid the extreme weather brought about by the storm, with strong winds and heavy rain battering Somerset. Artist Luke Jerram reflected on the project and admitted creating something to stand up against the autumnal weather was a "challenge".
He said: "Creating a new large-scale artwork to be presented on water, to withstand weeks of the British weather, is always going to be a challenge. It’s the nature of trying to create new ambitious art projects that they don’t always go exactly to plan.
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"Being willing to try new things out and push the limits of your knowledge and skill set is an important part of the development of an artist’s work. It’s through this ambition, trying new things out, and willingness to handle challenges that we all have the opportunity to do great things."
He added: "Given the size and complexity of the artwork, it was not a project that could be fully tested before being presented and revealed to the public. While it is unfortunate that the artwork did not withstand the storm, we are proud of the Bridgwater team for their hard work in presenting the project and managing the challenges they faced.
"Taking art out of the gallery and into public spaces to reach larger audiences comes with inherent risks but also significant benefits. We are delighted that over 10,000 people in Bridgwater were able to enjoy the artwork before Storm Ashley caused damage."