The Earth comes to Swansea

A seven-metre vision of the Earth will fill Swansea Minster this October when internationally renowned artist Luke Jerram’s Gaia arrives in the city. Using detailed NASA imagery and a specially created surround-sound composition, the installation offers visitors a view of the planet normally experienced only from space.

For almost all of human history, the Earth could only be experienced from its surface.

That changed in 1968, when the Apollo 8 astronauts looked back towards home and captured Earthrise: the Earth appearing above the Moon’s horizon, small and isolated against the darkness of space.

From October 12 to 31, visitors to Swansea Minster will be able to encounter something of that perspective when Luke Jerram’s Gaia is suspended inside the building.

The seven-metre installation uses detailed imagery compiled from NASA’s Visible Earth series, with a specially created surround-sound composition by BAFTA award-winning composer Dan Jones.

The Minster will also host three weeks of cultural, community and religious events around Gaia, ranging from concerts and performances to worship, environmental events, activities for children and opportunities for reflection.

The Rev’d Canon Justin Davies, Rector of Swansea, said the installation would come to the Minster during Creationtide.

“The feast of creation commemorates God’s act of the creation of heaven and earth, all that is seen and unseen,” he said.

“God created out of love, freedom and generosity. So in this Creationtide we offer thanks for the gift of creation, and our very own creation – the gift of life itself.”

The programme will include prayer three times each day, with the entire book of Psalms read over the course of the three weeks.