EDINBURGH’S skyline will take on a different hue this winter when an installation of 450 giant lanterns will illuminate the city’s zoo for three months.
The Giant Lanterns of China – which will be created by 150 craftsmen from Sichuan – stems from the relationship between the Royal Zoological Society of Scotland (RZSS) and Sichuan, the birthplace of the zoo’s giant pandas Tian Tian and Yang Guang.
It will take the craftsmen 25,000 hours of work to produce the 34 bespoke installations featuring 469 gigantic lanterns. The resulting trail through the steel and silk sculptures will explore three themes: China, Edinburgh Zoo and the RZSS’s animal conservation work.
Barbara Smith, the zoo’s CEO, said: “Edinburgh Zoo has very strong ties with China and Chinese culture thanks to our famous giant pandas. As the only place in Scotland to see these lanterns, the Giant Lanterns of China will encourage local supporters and visitors from around the world to view our animals and conservation work in a new light.”
The installation runs from December 1 to February 25, and tickets go on sale tomorrow.
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