Luke Jerram’s Mars is a fabulous installation on display at Chichester Cathedral until 10th November 2024.
The Mars installation is a replica of the planet and is seven metres in diameter with artwork of detailed NASA imagery of the Martian surface. It is hung from the vaulted ceiling in the nave of the Cathedral where it slowly rotates. For those visiting at dusk or after dark, it is lit so that it glows with an ethereal orange against the distinctive arches of the Cathedral lit up in red.
Each centimetre of the installation represents ten kilometres of the surface of Mars with every valley, crater, volcano and mountain visible. To accompany the installation, there is a sound composition created by BAFTA and Ivor Novello award winning composer Dan Jones which includes a mix of music and spoken words.
What’s it like?
It won’t take you long to observe, but the installation is mesmerizing and compelling in equal measure and creates a precious and valuable opportunity to reflect. There is something powerful about the echoing Medieval flagstones and arches of the Cathedral with its centuries of history juxtaposed against this vast planet, and it casts an added layer of poignancy. Especially after dark. If you’re looking to embrace all that is mysterious and thought provoking about the winter and Christmas season, this is an excellent way to start the season. Why not combine a visit with dinner out in Chichester, or a late night walk along the coast at Chichester Harbour?
The Gustav Holst connection
By way of context, it is just over 150 years since the birth of celebrated Composer Gustav Holst, who is interred within the Cathedral’s North Transept. Holst is best known for The Planets, a seven-movement orchestral suite, with each movement named after a planet of the Solar System – including Mars.
Luke Jerram
Jerram is a British installation artist. He creates sculptures, large artwork installations and live arts projects. Other works of his include a fallen moon, a floating earth, images projected onto a 100m tall wind turbine, with messages to world leaders for COP26 and Sky Orchestra – an experimental artwork bringing together performance and music to create visual audio installations in the air.
The Mars installation is part of a number of other events being held at the Cathedral this autumn which include: Mars in Orbit with The Average Scientist during which astrophysicist Ian Hall FRAS and exoplanet research scientist Charlotte Alexandra FRAS will explore questions like how and why are we looking for life on Mars, and how we look for signs of intelligent life elsewhere in the Universe. On a lighter note, there will also be under 5’s storytelling under Mars. It also comes just ahead of Chichester950 – a year long programme of events and celebrations to mark the 950th anniversary of the formation of the Diocese of Chichester and Chichester Cathedral. Note, for evening viewings of Mars, you must book.
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