Fake for Real: Romantic Sunsets

Sunsets are loved by people all around the globe. Could this universal aesthetic preference be linked to a deeply rooted understanding of the sunset's importance? Life on earth could not exist without the gigantic nuclear power station of the sun. If it dimmed, it would mean the end of all earthly life, although because of the enormous distance, it would take eight minutes for us to notice our doom. Regardless of our knowledge, the sun remains a romantic disc in the sky. In 2003, artist Olafur Eliasson created an installation at the Tate Gallery in London that consisted of a large disc with stacks of fluorescent lights behind it, permitting visitors to enjoy an artificial but nonetheless magnificent indoor sunset. Needless to say, people loved it. Luckily, the real sun is expected to remain lit for the next few billion years.

From our Fake for Real series.