BRIDGWATER Town Council and artist Luke Jerram have officially confirmed that the ‘Fallen Moon’ art installation has ended.

In a statement released by the Town Council on October 22, 2024, a spokesperson said: “During the afternoon of 21 October 2024, officers from the Town Council inspected the platform and the structure, discovering considerable damage to its electronic infrastructure and multiple tears in the Moon fabric.”

It confirms an early end for the art installation, which had been expected to run until Sunday, November 3. Thousands of people had visited the 'Fallen Moon', especially on the evening of Thursday, October 17, with the debut Night Market. 

Artist Luke Jerram, who spearheaded the project, said: “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. It’s the nature of trying to create new ambitious art projects that they don’t always go exactly to plan.”

He continued: “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 willingness to handle challenges that we all have the opportunity to do great things.”

“Given the size and complexity of the artwork, it was not a project that could be fully tested before being presented and revealed to the public. While it is unfortunate that the artwork did not withstand the storm, we are proud of the Bridgwater team for their hard work in presenting the project and managing the challenges they faced.

He ended: “Taking art out of the gallery and into public spaces to reach larger audiences comes with inherent risks but also significant benefits. We are delighted that over 10,000 people in Bridgwater were able to enjoy the artwork before Storm Ashley caused damage.