An out-of-this-world experience is heading to Wakefield Cathedral this summer, giving opportunities for people of all ages to learn more about the planet, have fun and think of the actions individuals can take against climate change.
Gaia, a touring artwork by artist Luke Jerram, is a 7-metre replica of Earth containing detailed NASA imagery that will enable visitors to see our planet floating in three dimensions.
The event at Wakefield Cathedral runs from Friday Aug 20 2021 - Monday Aug 30 2021, is free to enter and aims to create a sense of wonder for visitors – seeing the planet from an astronaut’s perspective, which provokes awe, a profound understanding of the interconnection of all life, and sense of responsibility for taking care of the environment.
The cathedral will also be hosting a range of events through the eleven-day period including concerts, family activities and even ‘Pilates under the Planet’.
Each centimetre of the internally lit Earth represents 18 kilometres of the planet’s surface and will be accompanied by a specially made surround-sound musical composition by BAFTA award winning composer Dan Jones.
The Dean of Wakefield, the Very Revd Simon Cowling, said: “After a challenging eighteen months for everyone it is great to be welcoming people to Wakefield Cathedral for the stunning installation that is Gaia, as part of Wakefield Council’s Festival of the Earth.
“We hope that by hosting Gaia at the cathedral it will give people the opportunity to reflect on the impact we are all having on the planet; highlight the conversations which need to be had around what we can do to look after God’s Creation and start to make the changes today which will safeguard and protect the planet for tomorrow’s generations.”
To find out more and how to get involved please click here.