A giant version of Mars is now floating above Langham Place as Luke Jerram’s touring MARS installation makes its Hong Kong premiere. Suspended over the Level 4 Atrium, the seven-metre sphere recreates the Red Planet using high-resolution imagery supplied by NASA.
Visitors can see the installation from several levels of the mall, with lighting and an original surround soundscape adding to the experience. The artwork opened on September 30 and will remain on display until November 1 and is open daily from 10:30am to 10:30pm at Langham Place’s Level 4 Atrium.
MARS forms part of Jerram’s wider series of large-scale astronomical artworks, which has been shown in public spaces around the world. The installation uses 120 DPI imagery to reveal details of the Martian surface, including craters, valleys and volcanoes.
At Langham Place, its suspended position creates several viewing angles. Visitors can stand beneath the sphere, see its surface from nearby levels or look down on the installation from higher floors. The visual display is accompanied by a soundscape created by BAFTA and Ivor Novello award-winning composer Dan Jones.
The programme will expand from October 17 with the TRICK or BEANS Coffee Festival beneath the installation. Fourteen independent local coffee and food brands are due to take part, alongside two guest baristas from Tokyo Indie Coffee Fes. The festival will run across three weekends: October 17-19, October 24-25, and October 31-November 1.
Heade Image Credit: Langham Place