‘Our glacial perspectives’ in the Italian Alps

About

In the Hochjochferner glacier, located in Italy’s South Tyrol region, is this permanent art installation by Olafur Eliasson. It presents a path stretching 410 meters along the ridge of Mount Grawand, with nine metallic gates rising at intervals to create a timeline of Earth’s five major ice ages and the intermediate stages. At the end of the walk, a pavilion – with rings of steel and glass panes tinted various shades of blue, in reference to the cyanometer, a scale that measures ‘blueness’ – marks the horizon, the cardinal directions, and the sun’s movement, enabling visitors to tell what time of day it is. Named ‘Our glacial perspectives,’ this public work of art commissioned by the Talking Walter Society is a platform for reflection on climate change, which has a direct impact on the Hochjochferne glacier.

Sources

• Arquitectura Viva