Giant eye artwork hoisted into sky over Edinburgh focuses on climate

A giant artwork has been hoisted into the sky over the Scottish capital to send a message to the world ahead of the international climate talks being held in Glasgow.

The result of an international collaboration,“wearewatching” features a monumental eye made up of thousands of individual portraits contributed from people in 190 countries across the globe.

The flag, the size of a ten-storey building, is being flown in the grounds of the Dynamic Earth museum, next to the Scottish Parliament in Edinburgh.

The aerial installation, by Swiss “artivist” Dan Acher, has arrived in Edinburgh as part of a global tour that will see it hung in Glasgow during the United Nations COP26 climate summit, which runs from October 31 to November 12.

The piece symbolises the eyes of the world ‘watching’ as global leaders and delegates negotiate actions to help save the planet from environmental breakdown.

It has already been displayed in Geneva, Madrid and London as part of the tour, with the UK leg kicking off this year in Greenwich - close to the line of zero degrees longitude.

Mr Acher said: “We’re excited that We Are Watching is landing in Scotland’s capital city and drawing the eyes of the world to Scotland ahead of Glasgow’s crucial COP26 next month.

“It’s crucial that we reinforce our sense of shared humanity.

“Accessible, universal art can bridge cultural and political divides.”

Dr Hermione Cockburn, scientific director at Dynamic Earth, said: “As Scotland gets ready to host COP26 our impact on the planet is more apparent than ever and the need to take collective action is clear.

“I am extremely proud that Dynamic Earth is hosting We Are Watching on its journey to Glasgow, to remind global leaders that the eyes of the world are on them.”

Dynamic Earth, the only science centre in the UK that is solely dedicated to the story of the planet, is running a programme of public events in the run up to COP26.

We Are Watching was designed to first fly at the COP25 talks, held in the Spanish capital Madrid two years ago.