A spectacular 7-meter (21-foot) wide sculpture of Mars has been captivating visitors at Truro Cathedral, providing entertainment and educational value during the school half-term break. The impressive artwork, titled "Mars: War and Peace," was created by renowned artist Luke Jerram and represents the latest major installation to grace the historic cathedral.
The sculpture follows Jerram's highly successful "Gaia" installation, which was exhibited at the same venue in 2023. This new Mars artwork features incredibly detailed NASA imagery of the red planet, constructed at an approximate scale of 1:1 million. Each centimeter of the internally illuminated sculpture represents 10 kilometers (6.2 miles) of Mars' actual surface, giving visitors an unprecedented view of our planetary neighbor.
Visitors have been expressing amazement at the sheer size and detail of the installation. One young boy visiting with his family told reporters, "I didn't expect it to be that big," capturing the sentiment shared by many who encounter the massive spherical artwork for the first time. The sculpture's internal lighting system creates a dramatic effect within the cathedral's Gothic architecture.
The exhibition, which runs until November 2, offers added value to visitors as tickets to view the Mars sculpture also include free entry to explore the cathedral itself. This combination has proven popular with families and tourists looking to combine art appreciation with historical exploration during their visit to Cornwall.
The installation has been accompanied by a diverse range of ticketed events and activities designed to enhance the visitor experience. A special farewell party is scheduled for Saturday to mark the end of the installation's run. Additionally, on October 28, visitors will have the opportunity to attend a unique organ performance featuring music from the blockbuster movie "Interstellar," performed by Roger Sayer, who was the original organist on the film's soundtrack.
Sayer noted the installation's ability to attract new audiences to both the cathedral and organ music. "The people who come to my events are often people who would never set foot in a church, but they are; and would never come to an organ concert, but they are," he explained. He emphasized the cultural bridge the installation creates, adding, "In a way it's sort of bridging that gap, and there is a sort of revival of younger people coming to the organ now."
The Mars installation represents part of a broader trend of contemporary art installations finding homes in historic religious buildings, creating unique dialogue between ancient architecture and modern artistic expression. The success of both the current Mars exhibition and the previous Gaia installation demonstrates the public's appetite for these innovative cultural experiences that blend science, art, and spirituality in unexpected ways.
