If artist Anthony McCall gets his way, a gigantic, vertical cloud — an ephemeral, environmental sculpture — will soon rise from Liverpool’s docks.

The British Arts Council and the London 2012 organization have announced that they have selected the artist’s proposal as a finalist in their nationwide initiative to commission a public art piece in each of 12 regions of Britain in celebration of the upcoming Olympics.

McCall is best known for his light installations, which use bright projections to create the effect of moving sculptures. This time, the artist will use a network of pumps and hoses instead of film projectors, launching water vapor and hot air into the sky above Liverpool. If all goes according to plan, it should create the appearance of a cloud and drift as high as 1.5 miles into the sky.

"This is, in a sense, an endless column," he told the Liverpool Daily Post. "But it’s a one-off. Nothing of this scale has ever been attempted before."

The winner of the commission will be announced in late October.

Read more at the Liverpool Daily Post.