A giant inflatable moon has burst after a storm wreaked havoc on the long-awaited piece of artwork.
The 30ft replica was intended to be illuminated on the water until early November.
But just a week after its launch, the moon has deflated twice.
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It is the work of artist Luke Jerram, who is known for his indoor creations including the Museum of the Moon and Gaia.
Fallen Moon was created using NASA data and is 350,000 times smaller than the real moon.
It features an internally lit surface where each centimetre represents 3.5km of the moon’s surface.
It was Mr Jerram’s first outdoor installation, but its future in Bridgwater, Somerset is now uncertain after high winds caused significant structural problems, as reported by What’s The Jam.
“Creating a new large-scale artwork to be presented on water to withstand weeks of the British weather is always going to be a challenge,” he said.
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“It’s the nature of trying to create new ambitious art projects that they don’t always go exactly to plan.
“Being willing to try new things out and push the limits of your knowledge and skill set is an important part of the development of an artist’s work.
“It’s through this ambition trying new things out and a willingness to take on new challenges that we all have the opportunity to do great things.
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“Given the size and complexity of the artwork, it’s not the sort of project that can easily be fully tested out, before it gets presented and revealed to the public.
“I’m sad that the artwork didn’t withstand the storm but also proud of the team in Bridgwater for the way they worked hard to present the project and handled the challenges they encountered.
“Taking art out of the gallery, as a way of reaching large new audiences, comes with some risk but also has great benefits.
“I’m really glad that the artwork was enjoyed by over 10,000 people in Bridgwater, before storm Ashley intervened and damaged the artwork.”
Christina Manley from Honiton, Devon, said she was sad to see it deflated when she visited with her family on Sunday.
“It was disappointing,” she said.
“I felt upset for the artist who designed it.
“And the team who made it happen.”
Nicky Hunt added: “Oh no, was planning to go.
“Missed out, such a shame.”
Adrian Fraser added: “What a shame especially for anybody who has not had the chance to see it yet.”
A spokesman for Bridgwater Town Council which hosted the exhibition said: “We regret to inform the public that due to an unforeseen and highly challenging electrical and technical failure now augmented by the extreme weather and particularly winds, Luke Jerram’s Fallen Moon installation at Bridgwater Docks has unfortunately deflated.
“Our team is currently investigating the cause of this malfunction and assessing the extent of the damage.
“This is a technically challenging project with it being the first water-based installation of Luke’s image, we knew technical challenges might occur.
“The installation has already captivated visitors with its lunar imagery and surround sound composition; we are hugely grateful to the over 10,000 individuals who have visited the moon and Docks over the last week and it has clearly brought joy and astonishment to so many.
“However the safety of our visitors and the integrity of the artwork are of utmost importance to us. We sincerely apologise for any inconvenience and disappointment this may cause to those who were planning to visit the Fallen Moon.
“Whilst we will examine other possibilities over the next 48 hours we have to be realistic with the challenges of this installation and it maybe, in its current iteration, the project has come to an end. Further updates will be provided as soon as they become available.”
