Article: published on 8 May 2024
Peace Doves is a large-scale mass-participation artwork created by artist Peter Walker
Thousands of paper doves installed in cathedral
- Published
A vast flock of 18,000 paper doves has been installed high above the nave at Wells Cathedral.
Peace Doves is a large-scale mass-participation artwork created by artist Peter Walker.
Visitors are invited to decorate the paper doves with messages of peace, hope and love to form part of the installation.
Mr Walker, said: "Writing these message of peace - it actually reminds us there's a lot of good in the world."
The vast flock of paper doves has been suspended by ribbons from the ceiling of the nave of the cathedral
Schools and community groups are invited to decorate the doves with messages
Peace Doves was first staged at Lichfield Cathedral in 2018 to commemorate the centenary of the end of World War One.
Mr Walker said it allowed thousands of people to "create, and express their own personal emotions as part of an ensemble".
"People can write messages on to these individual sculptural doves and then we re-curate it and bring it together in a completely new and fresh way for every cathedral that we go to," he said.
"When we bring together so many voices - writing these message of peace - it actually reminds us there's a lot of good in the world."
The installation is lit in different colours and accompanied by a soundscape by composer David Harper
Peace Doves is open to the public until Friday, 8 June
The display will be accompanied by a soundscape by composer David Harper.
Anne Gell, acting Dean of Wells, said the messages "make each installation unique to those who took part".
“We are living in turbulent and challenging times in which peace feels increasingly fragile, and so the messages that make up this installation have even greater poignancy," she said.
Peace Doves is open to the public until 8 June.
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