Brought to you by the Book of Kells & Old Library at Trinity College Dublin
You need to see this incredible piece in person.
With a 47-acre campus full of historic architecture and cobble-stone squares, Trinity College Dublin is one of our city’s most beloved attractions, for locals and tourists alike. It’s particularly picturesque this time of year, when fallen leaves dot pathways and the crisp air adds to the timeless atmosphere.
Ireland’s oldest university is also home to one of the most beautiful libraries in the world and the latest addition to the space will take your breath away.
An illuminated sculpture of Earth by artist Luke Jerram has just been installed in the Long Room of the Old Library, and it’s truly spectacular. In Greek mythology, Gaia is the personification of Earth, and with this sculpture, Jerram intends to highlight the beauty and fragility of our planet and our responsibility to protect it.
Gaia features a 120dpi detailed NASA imagery of the Earth’s surface, showing the planet floating in three dimensions, as it is viewed from space. The sculpture is perfectly positioned under the Long Room’s stunning barrel-vaulted ceiling and spins slowly. The result is an awe-inspiring sight and a unique opportunity to view the surface of planet Earth against the backdrop of one of Ireland’s most cinematic locations.
To fully take in this piece of art, we recommend viewing it from a few different locations in the Long Room. The closer you get, the more striking it becomes and if you feel like viewing Earth from under the South Pole, you can relax and look up from the bench underneath.
The best thing about Gaia is that it looks stunning on camera, since the contrast between the vivid colours of the Earth’s surface and the dark oak of the Long Room really pops. It’s an ideal moment to capture gorgeous content for your social media accounts.
Head to bookofkells.ie to book a ticket to see Gaia for yourself, and prepare to be wowed. Tickets to the Book of Kells & Old Library include access to Gaia and cost €19.
Brought to you by the Book of Kells & Old Library at Trinity College Dublin
Feature images: Barry McCall
