A renowned Bristol artist has created a sculpture in tribute to the huge global scientific and medical effort to combat the coronavirus pandemic.
Made from glass and at 23cm in diameter, Luke Jerram’s creation is two million times larger than the actual virus.
It was commissioned eight weeks ago, before the spread of the virus was a pandemic, by a university in America to reflect its current and future research, and its focus on solving global challenges.
Luke said: “This artwork is a tribute to the scientists and medical teams who are working collaboratively across the world to try to slow the spread of the virus.
“It is vital we attempt to slow the spread of coronavirus by working together globally, so our health services can manage this pandemic.
“Helping to communicate the form of the virus to the public, the artwork has been created as an alternative representation to the artificially coloured imagery received through the media.
“In fact, viruses have no colour as they are smaller than the wavelength of light.”
Made through a process of scientific glassblowing, the coronavirus model is based on the latest scientific understanding and diagrams of the virus.
All money from this glass model is going to Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF), who will be assisting developing countries deal with the fallout of the coronavirus epidemic.
It is the latest in Luke's Glass Microbiology series of virus sculptures, which includes sculptures of viruses from swine flu and Ebola to smallpox and HIV.
