Copenhagen’s Melting Art Installation Hopes to Raise Awareness Of Climate Change

Ice from Greenland melts in Copenhagen.

Ice collected from Greenland for Ice Watch Photo: via Twitter

Some of Greenland’s ice will melt in Copenhagen this weekend, as part of “Ice Watch,” a project from artist Olafur Eliasson and geologist Minik Rosing of Copenhagen’s Geological Museum. As reported by the Guardian, Eliasson will import 12 massive pieces of ice, leaving them to melt in City Hall Square, in the hopes of raising awareness of climate change.

The ice blocks, which collectively weigh 100 tons, have been collected from a fjord outside Greenland’s capital city, Nuuk. They will be arranged in a clock formation, referencing the lack of time we have to turn our attitude to climate change around.

Eliasson, who himself is part Icelandic, took to Twitter this week in anticipation, writing “Sunday: Ice Watch! #climate2014” and sharing an image of the preparations for the exhibition.

The artist has had a busy couple of weeks. His rotating sculpture, Schools of Movement Sphere, which was displayed by New York’s Tanya Bonakdar Gallery at Frieze London last week, where it was a huge hit (see “Glittering Olafur Eliasson Sculpture Bewitches Frieze London Visitors”).

The iceberg installation comes the weekend before the UN Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change presents its Fifth Assessment Report. Copenhagen has taken on an important role in the campaign for the awareness of climate change, winning this year’s European green Capital Award, which recognizes cities that have succeeded in becoming more environmentally friendly.


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