Sky Mirror facts for kids
The Sky Mirror is a cool public sculpture created by the artist Anish Kapoor. It looks like a giant, shiny dish! This amazing artwork is made from polished stainless steel and is shaped like a concave dish. This means it curves inward, like the inside of a bowl.
The Sky Mirror is super big, about 6-metre-wide (20 ft) wide, and it weighs a massive 10 tonnes (9.8 long tons)! It's tilted up towards the sky, so its shiny surface reflects everything around it – the clouds, the buildings, and even you! It's like a giant, ever-changing picture of the world.
Contents
Where is the Original Sky Mirror?
The first Sky Mirror was made for the Nottingham Playhouse in Nottingham, England. You can find it outside the theatre in a place called Wellington Circus.
How the Sky Mirror Was Made
It took a long time to create this sculpture – about six years from the first idea to when it was finally shown to the public on April 27, 2001. It cost a lot of money, too: £900,000! This was paid for by the National Lottery, and at the time, it was the most expensive public art piece they had ever funded. The sculpture was built in Finland.
Sky Mirror's Popularity
People in Nottingham really love their Sky Mirror. In 2007, it was voted the "Pride of Place" in a poll to find Nottingham's favorite landmark. It's a very popular spot for photos and just watching the world go by.
Other Sky Mirror Sculptures
Did you know there isn't just one Sky Mirror? Anish Kapoor has created other versions of this amazing sculpture, and they have traveled to different parts of the world!
Sky Mirror in New York City
From September to October 2006, a much bigger Sky Mirror was shown at Rockefeller Center in New York City. This one was huge! It was 35 foot (11 m) across, stood as tall as a three-story building, and weighed 23 long tons (23 t). One side, which curved outward (convex), faced Fifth Avenue. The other side, which curved inward (concave), faced the Rockefeller Center courtyard.
Sky Mirrors Around the World
You can find other versions of the Sky Mirror in some famous places:
- At the Hermitage Museum in Saint Petersburg, Russia.
- In front of the Casino de Monte-Carlo in Monaco.
- At the De Pont Museum of Contemporary Art in Tilburg, the Netherlands.
Sky Mirror in London
In 2010, the Sky Mirror was part of a special outdoor art show in Kensington Gardens, London. The show was called Turning the World Upside Down and featured four of Kapoor's sculptures. It ran from September 28, 2010, to March 13, 2011. Anish Kapoor thought Kensington Gardens was "the best site in London for a piece of art."
Where is the Permanent Sky Mirror?
One of the Sky Mirror sculptures has a permanent home in the Dallas Cowboys Art Collection. You can see it at the AT&T Stadium.
Images for kids
-
Sky Mirror, Nottingham
-
Sky Mirror, Kensington Gardens, London
-
Sky Mirror, New York, as seen from Rockefeller Center
.JPG)
