100,000 white balloons fill Covent Garden for art installation reflecting human heartbeats

100,000 huge white balloons have taken over London’s Covent Garden in an installation by artist Charles Pétillon. Entitled Heartbeat, this is the Frenchman’s first public art installation, and uses a white light alongside the balloons to form an interactive, 54 metre long, 12 metre wide sculpture housed in the South Hall of the Grade II listed Market Building in the area. Charles’ work aims to “symbolise the beating of a heart and reflect the history, energy and dynamism of the district,” according to the Covent Garden press office. The piece will be in situ throughout the London Design Festival until 27 September.