Whales at Winchester Cathedral

Art, music and creation has come together in Winchester Cathedral with its latest art installation, Whales, which has transformed the nave into a deep oceanic space.

Whales at Winchester Cathedral

The installation of three sperm whales by artist Tessa Campbell Fraser is a partnership with Messums.org, the museum in Wiltshire, where the pieces were first seen, attracting over 20,000 visitors.

The whales measure between three and five metres long and are suspended in the nave. They have been made in part from some discarded fishing gear collected at sea by British charity, Ghost Fishing UK. Banners hang alongside the whales to represent the sound these fascinating creatures make, the repetitive pattern of clicks that have fascinated scientists since they were first recorded in the 1950s.

Whales invites visitors to reflect on interspecies communication and the urgent environmental challenges facing marine life and is complemented by a series of events, including talks, discos, concerts, and February half-term family activities.

The Very Revd Catherine Ogle, Dean of Winchester, said:

‘Bringing Tessa Campbell Fraser’s Whales to Winchester Cathedral will connect the awe and wonder of God’s creation with a building expressing human longing for connection, human and divine. 

“We will inevitably be led to reflect on our connection with creation and all God’s creatures and the call to live in harmony and justice.

“Whales are familiar yet mysterious and wonderfully ‘other’. Whales at Winchester Cathedral will create a richly evocative and unforgettable experience for us all.’ 

Highlights of the programme include a folk concert by The Norfolk Broads, a Valentine’s Date Night, silent discos for both families and adults, and an exploration of animal communication by biologist and filmmaker Tom Mustill.

There is an exclusive talk by the artist too who will discuss the creation of Whales during a guided walk through the installation.

The exhibition opened last week and is here until February 26. All events take place beneath the whale installations.

To find out more, click here.