Giant Airbus sculpture at Filton

Airbus has installed a giant sculpture as the centrepiece of a £70 million investment at its Filton manufacturing site. The artwork at the Airbus Aerospace Park weighs 10 tonnes, is 6m high and has recently been on a nation-wide tour. It features more than 300 stainless-steel tubes and produces ‘music’ when a breeze travels through its harp strings; the tubes also produce low-frequency humming.

Behrooz Barzegar, head of flight physics integration at Airbus UK, said: “This is more than just an artwork. It marks the culmination of a major commitment by Airbus into the aerospace park, which also includes the new Barnwell House and the refurbished Pegasus House. The park continues the pioneering role of Filton in aviation, and this work is very much a symbol of the future of aerospace in the UK and Bristol. Children visiting us here will also be considering the possibilities of a future career in aerospace and the relationship between art and engineering.”

The sculpture, which took Bristol artist Luke Jerram four years to create, is called Aeolus after the ruler of the winds in Greek mythology. Cutting a ribbon on the sculpture during a ceremony to welcome the piece, George Ferguson, Bristol’s elected mayor, said: “I am always encouraged by businesses that support the arts.”