A playful piece of performance art intended to draw attention to climate change appeared Sunday in downtown Vancouver.

Entitled Waiting for the Beach #rising #sealevels, the piece involved swimsuit-clad people lounging on the sidewalk as though they were on a beach.

Tianna Barton, the creator of the piece, has moved her art project around Metro Vancouver, placing it at locations where she says the sea level may rise in the future.

A spokesperson for the piece said it is meant to be thought-provoking, and shouldn't be taken as a protest. (CBC)

Sunday's performance — the fourth and final in the series — was set up at Denman and West Georgia streets. Performers sipped champagne, barbecued food and were watched over by a mock life guard.

Benjamin Christensen, a spokesperson for the art piece, said it is not meant as a protest, but rather as thought-provoking endeavour. Standing at the corner of the two streets, Christensen said the location is where the future coastline will be.

On Sunday, the installation was set up at the corner of Denman and West Georgia streets. (CBC)

"It's trying to poke fun at how we're all aware of climate change issues, but at the same time we feel helpless," said Christensen. "Rather than worry about climate change, we go to the beach, buy some stuff, and try not to worry about the bigger issues.

"We hope it makes people stop and think."

With files from Timothé Matte-Bergeron