BTF+ Luke Jerram's Helios at Bristol Cathedral

BTF+, Bristol’s festival of tech, creativity and culture, is bringing Helios - a new internally illuminated sculpture of the Sun by internationally renowned Bristol-based artist Luke Jerram - to Bristol Cathedral for the very first time. Available first to the public on the evenings of Monday 6th, Tuesday 7th and Wednesday 8th October, audiences can step closer to the Sun in this awe-inspiring fusion of art, science and sound, as part of the festival’s Live track of immersive performances and cultural moments.

Measuring seven metres in diameter, the artwork features 72dpi detailed imagery of the Sun’s surface. At an approximate scale of 1:200 million, each centimetre of the internally lit spherical sculpture represents 2000km of the Sun’s surface. It is very dangerous to look at the Sun directly as it can damage our eyesight, so Helios provides a safe opportunity for the public to get up close to, and inspect its extraordinarily detailed surface, including sunspots, spicules and filaments. The sculpture also features the source of the solar flares which caused the Northern lights to be visible from the UK last year.

The installation is a fusion of solar imagery, sunlight and a specially created surround sound composition by Duncan Speakman and Sarah Anderson.

Luke says “It’s so exciting to present my new artwork at Bristol Cathedral for BTF+. I spent all last winter perfecting the sun’s internal rippling light and so it’s great to now be able to present this new artwork in my home city.”Learn more about BTF+: https://techspark.co/btfplus/

Venue: Bristol Cathedral, College Green, BS1 5TJ

Evening timed entry slots (every 15 minutes)

Ticket prices vary by demand – book early for the best price

Stay up to 30 minutes once inside

Accessibility: The Nave has level access, but please be aware there's a flight of stairs down to the cloister, café & toilets. Level access to the Café, Chapter House, garden and parts of the Cloister is available via the Cloister entrance.

What is BTF+?

The Bristol Festival of tech, creativity and culture.

Inspiring Speakers. Pioneering Tech. Captivating Artists. All In.BTF+ is where tech, creativity and culture collide - in a city celebrated for all three.

From bold keynotes and dazzling art in landmark venues, to breakthrough tech and electrifying music in the city’s hidden gems

It's accessible, walkable and welcoming: a compact city festival where people and ideas can move freely, spark discoveries, and connect with purpose.

BTF+ is delivered by techSPARK, the not-for-profit growth network, in partnership with MyWorld and Bristol Creative Industries, and proudly supported by headline partner Ghyston.https://techspark.co/btfplus/

Bristol Cathedral is part of the Church of England and is the seat of the Bishop of Bristol in the Diocese of Bristol.  The site of the Bristol Cathedral has been a place of worship for the last 1000 years. Originally founded in 1140 as St Augustine's Abbey, in 1542—after the Dissolution of the Monasteries—it became Bristol Cathedral or the Cathedral Church of the Holy and Undivided Trinity.  The Cathedral was the first to ordain women as Church of England priests, with the first ceremony taking place for a total of 32 women in 1994.  Bristol Cathedral continues to be an open and welcoming space for all people to pause for thought, find beauty and peace, feel the sacred and come together as communities.  We’re here with you, yesterday, today and tomorrow.

Luke Jerram’s multidisciplinary practice involves the creation of sculptures,

installations and live art projects. Living in the UK but working internationally since

1997, Jerram has created a number of extraordinary art projects which have excited

and inspired people around the world. Since his career began Luke Jerram has had

over 900 exhibitions around the world.

As well as his touring installations and permanent sculptures, Luke’s artworks are in

over 80 permanent collections around the world including the Metropolitan Museum

of Art in New York, Shanghai Museum of Glass and the Wellcome Collection in

London.

Luke Jerram was given honorary doctorates from the University of Bristol in 2020

and University of Gloucestershire in 2022. He was made an Honorary Academician

of the RWA and Fellow of The Royal Astronomical Society in 2020.

www.lukejerram.com