Huge sand artwork display on Watergate Bay beach
It launches the Eden Project summer programme
A giant sand art installation has been created in Newquay.
The sands of Watergate Bay were transformed into a canvas on Wednesday (23 July) for a unique art installation courtesy of the Eden Project.
It showed the fleeting nature of viewings of marine wildlife and 'rarely-seen' aspects of our natural world, visible for a brief window in the early afternoon, with the tide soon approaching to wash it away again.
The sand drawing, depicting a gigantic octopus emerging from the water launches Eden's 'Enchanted Earth summer programme.
The unique installation was created by art collective Sand In Your Eye and commissioned by the Eden Project.
Jamie Wardley, Artistic Director of Sand In Your Eye, said: “The Eden Project is inspirational in its positive and immersive outlook on nature and the challenges we face. So much so that it has influenced our own work and we have visited with our family a number of times. We are delighted to be making some beach art together!”
Kate Francis, the Eden Project’s Live Producer, said: “It’s been completely magical to kick off our summer programme today with this incredible piece of art, which wasn’t here for long but made a big impact."
The waters surrounding Cornwall have played host to bumper marine sightings this year, with clifftops around Watergate Bay and surrounding beaches teeming with wildlife enthusiasts hoping to catch a glimpse of magnificent humpbacks. More recently, an Iberian orca made a UK-first appearance off the Isles of Scilly and booming octopus populations are being observed.
Scientists believe these unusual sightings can be attributed to warmer waters, driven by rapid climate change, which can disrupt the delicate food chain. In response to this shifting natural world, the Eden Project’s Enchanted Earth invites visitors to immerse themselves in the magic of our planet, fall in love with its beauty and discover ways to care for and protect it.
Kate added: "Today’s sand art is just a flavour of the surprises in store at Enchanted Earth this summer, which features a whole roster of inspiring activities for people of all ages to discover. Conceived to conjure up captivating magical features seen in the natural world, Enchanted Earth creates an unmissable immersive experience that anyone visiting Cornwall this summer should put on their bucket list.”
Enchanted Earth runs from July 24 – September 7 with sensory sound, light and digital projection experience at the centre of the Eden Project site enveloping visitors in kaleidoscopic visuals, bioluminescent oceans, shimmering wings and swirling stardust.