An Evening with Sophie Aldred and entry to the Gaia Exhibition
Join us for an intimate evening with Sophie Aldred on Friday 18 March from 7pm to 8.30pm
Sophie has worked extensively in children's television as a presenter and voice artist. She played the Seventh Doctor's companion, Ace, in the television series Doctor Who during the late 1980s, becoming the final companion of the series' first run.
There will also be a unique opportunity to have your photograph taken with Sophie next to the Gaia installation and time for autographs too.
The Muse Cafe will be open for refreshments.
About the exhibition:
Visitors will be able to gaze upon the Earth as if from space, without ever having to leave the atmosphere. The awe-inspiring art installation, called Gaia, is by the same artist who brought the moon to The Collection in 2019, Luke Jerram.
Measuring six metres in diameter, the internally-lit sphere is 2.1 times smaller than the real Earth. It has been recreated from 120dpi detailed NASA imagery of the Earth's surface and each centimetre of the sculpture represents 21km of our planet.
A specially made surround sound composition by BAFTA award winning Composer Dan Jones is played alongside the sculpture. In Greek Mythology 'Gaia' is the personification of the Earth.
The intallation creates a sense of the Overview Effect, which was first described by author Frank White in 1987. Common features of the experience for astronauts are a feeling of awe for the planet, a profound understanding of the interconnection of all life and a renewed sense of responsibility for taking care of the environment.
The artwork also acts as a mirror to major events in society. In light of the current COVID-19 pandemic, the artwork may provide the viewer with a new perspective of our place on the planet; a sense that societies of the Earth are all interconnected and that we have a responsibility toward one another. After the lockdown, there has been a renewed respect for nature.
For more information about Gaia please click here.