Mirrored Art Tower Dismantled After Bird Safety Uproar

A 9.5-meter-tall mirrored art installation at the third Dongting Lake International Reed Art Festival is being removed after many bird enthusiasts raised concerns that it could endanger migratory birds.

The festival organizer confirmed to Jimu News on Thursday that no bird collisions have been reported, but the tower is being dismantled to prevent potential harm. The scenic area remains open to the public.

A wildlife photographer surnamed Xu said in an online post that Dongting Lake is a key stopover on the East Asia-Australasia Flyway, and mirrored surfaces can confuse birds, leading to collisions. She highlighted that patterned stickers on glass surfaces are a proven method to reduce bird strikes.

The installation "Floating Soil" was created by the United Kingdom's Royal College of Art alumni Ren Junchao, Yang Zhaobo, and Patrick Jones under the art group SSG (Sing a Song on the Ground), making them one of only three international artist groups featured in this year's festival.

The work features a 9.5 × 2.4 × 2.4 meter mirrored stainless steel tower that lifts a block of water reeds into the air, reflecting the sky, fog, and lake, and blurring the boundary between natural and virtual landscapes.

The festival, which opened on December 6, 2025, at Junshan Island scenic area of Yueyang City in central China's Hunan Province, features 15 reed-themed art installations and will run until January 18, 2026.