Living Coasts Aquarium Opens Largest Penguin Exhibit In The World - 700 Penguins

By Philip Knowling 

Torquay, UK - A local conservation charity is paying tribute to artist Antony Gormley with a wildlife response to one of his most famous works. 

Gormley’s Field for the British Isles is on display at Torre Abbey from 27th June until 23rd August.

Now Living Coasts Aquarium, Torquay’s coastal zoo, has produced Colony of Tor Bay – nearly 700 hand-painted plaster penguins, each 15 centimeters high. The installation is at the attraction’s front entrance on the quayside at Haldon Pier. Staff and volunteers have produced the miniature penguins over the last six months.

Living Coasts Director Elaine Hayes said: “Having such a famous work of art in Torquay has inspired local people to think about art from their own perspective. We are a conservation charity and we wanted to reflect that, so we decided to make a penguin response to Field for the British Isles. During August the penguin figures will gradually be taken away to represent the loss of wildlife around the world.”

Meanwhile, a display of photographs showing people’s own interpretations of Antony Gormley figures - dubbed “terras” - in unusual locations will be on show in the Living Coasts café during August. Living Coasts is a registered charity. For more information go to www.livingcoasts.org.uk or ring (01803) 202470.

To view Living Coasts Aquarium's web page on Zoo and Aquarium Visitor, go to: http://www.zandavisitor.com/forumtopicdetail-786-Living_Coasts

Photo: Jennifer Richards from Living Coasts with the mini-penguins.