Chelmsford Cathedral is delighted to announce that we will be hosting Gaia for three weeks this October.
Gaia is a touring artwork by UK artist Luke Jerram. Measuring six metres in diameter and created from 120dpi detailed NASA imagery of the Earth’s surface, the artwork provides the opportunity to view the planet, floating in three dimensions. It will be suspended, two metres up, giving visitors an opportunity to see the earth as astronauts see it from space and will fill the nave of Chelmsford Cathedral.
Artist Luke Jerram hopes that visitors will be inspired, seeing our planet in a new way and that the installation will give people an opportunity to reflect on its vulnerability. The Dean of Chelmsford, The Very Revd Nicholas Henshall adds;
“This is a very exciting project for Chelmsford – for the Cathedral, the city and the county. The Cathedral is a remarkable space and will enable everyone to experience Gaia close up in a very powerful way. And whilst there will be events and regular worship during Gaia, we really want people simply to share in the stillness of this special place during this unique installation.”
The installation has been made possible through a grant from Essex County Council’s Climate Action Challenge Fund which has contributed to the artwork coming to Essex for the first time.
Presenting a cheque for £20,000 to The Very Revd Nicholas Henshall, Dean of Chelmsford, Cllr Peter Schwier, Essex County Council’s Climate Czar said
“Climate change is one of the biggest issues which we are facing globally and in Essex. It is not just about us, it’s about generations to come. It is vital that we all take action to combat this and ensure that everybody works together to help Essex achieve its commitment of becoming net zero by 2050.
I am delighted to present this cheque for £20,000 to Chelmsford Cathedral as part of the new Climate Action Challenge Fund which has been launched by Essex County Council. The grant will support Chelmsford Cathedral with hosting the extraordinary Gaia artwork to provide visitors with an awe-inspiring encounter with planet earth. It will also support with delivering education sessions which focus on how we can all protect our planet earth to transform Essex to become a greener county.”
The Cathedral is inviting people from across the county to come and think about how each of us can play our part in saving our planet for future generations. The three-week event, running from 11th to 30th October, will focus on education and the environment with a range of exciting events already being planned. Gaia will also be free to visit during the day. Especially for half-term, there will be events taking place for families and an opportunity to see Gaia spectacularly lit at night.
For details of events planned and opening hours, do regularly check the Cathedral website chelmsfordcathedral.org.uk/Gaia and follow us on Facebook @chelmsfordcathedral for the latest event information.
Photo: taken by Gareth Jones (Gaia at Liverpool Cathedral)
