Art of the Week: Ice Watch by Olafur Eliasson and Minik Rosing

Ice Watch is a large-scale, site-specific installation by acclaimed Danish-American artist Olafur Eliasson and prominent Danish geologist Minik Rosing. It comprises 12 huge blocks of ice harvested from free-floating icebergs in Greenland. The ephemeral work, installed in a clock formation on the Place du Panthéon in Paris, is melting away during COP21, the 2015 Paris Climate Conference, which runs until 11 December.

“Today we have access to reliable data that sheds light on what will happen and what can be done. Let’s appreciate this unique opportunity – we, the world, can and must act now. Let’s transform climate knowledge into climate action. As an artist I hope my works touch people, which in turn can make something that may have previously seemed quite abstract more a reality. Art has the ability to change our perceptions and perspectives on the world, and Ice Watch makes the climate challenges we are facing tangible. I hope it will inspire shared commitment to taking climate action.” Olafur Eliasson

Olafur Eliasson and Minik Rosing, Ice Watch at Place du Panthéon, Paris. Photo © 2015 Olafur Eliasson

Loading ice at Nuuk Port and Harbour, Greenland. Photo: Group Greenland © 2015 Olafur Eliasson