This event took place in 2022
For information and tickets about our 2023 lightshow ‘Science’ please click here
Sold Out
Life
Journey through earth, sea and sky from sunrise to sunset with a spectacular world themed son-et-lumiere
4th - 8th October 2022
Experience the beauty of Planet Earth
Suitable for all ages, this stunning installation sees the inside of the Cathedral transformed into a visual journey to reflect upon life on todays planet in a single 24 hour period. Witness the sun, the oceans and the clouds, as you move throughout the building.
The show has been created by award winning artistic collaboration ‘Luxmuralis’, Peter Walker Sculptor and David Harper Composer. Luxmuralis previously brought the sell-out ‘Space Voyage’ to Rochester Cathedral in 2021.
The show will take place on the evenings of the 4th, 5th, 6th, 7th and 8th October. Tickets are now on sale and advance booking is highly recommended. The previous lightshow by Luxmuralis sold out well in advance of the event.
The experience is suitable for visitors of all ages.
A spectacular experience
Life’ is designed to enable people to explore and contemplate their own personal journeys and reflect upon life on todays planet that occurs in a single 24 hour period. The viewer is taken from Sunrise to Sunset, journeying through the beauty of planet earth, witnessing the sun, the oceans and the clouds. The outside reflected inside the majestic sacred space giving the viewer moments of awe and wonder.
The artwork enables contemplation on our human existence in the creation of our planet and our human impact upon it, reflecting ecology and the beauty of the world around us. The sounds and textures of humanity, extinction and time is portrayed.
Sound and light art is projected onto architectural features transforming and enveloping the space. Visitors will walk through and view individual light and sound art installations digitally and artistically created by artistic collaboration ‘Luxmuralis’ which highlight the architectural features of the space. Viewers are immersed in the soundscapes they hear and walk through the projections that are all around them on an explorative journey through the artworks.
Sounds heard are musical pieces composed by David Harper who has used within his works recorded anthropological soundtracks from collections of the Pitt Rivers Museum. The artwork and visual imagery is created by Artist Peter Walker who has interpreted collections from the Natural History Museum Oxford and the William Morris Museum, depicting nature and artistically highlighting the Cathedrals own architectural design features and brings the outside world inside.
Tickets
Tickets will need to be pre-booked.
Adults £8
Children (Under 18) £4.50
Infants (Under 3) Free
Family tickets (2 adults & 2 children) £22
Carers go free when accompanying a paid ticket. Please book an ‘Under 3’ ticket.
Performances
Performances will take place this Autumn on the evenings of the 4th, 5th, 6th, 7th and 8th October. Timed entry will be in operation with the first time slot at 6.40pm. Many timeslots have already sold out.
About the artists
Artist Peter Walker and Composer David Harper are an Artistic collaboration called ‘Luxmuralis’. Through Son-et-Lumiere installation and sound art pieces they transform and reinterpret the sense of place and space creatively helping members of the public to take a physical and emotional journey to identify with the subject and message of the artwork.
Examples of the many reactions and responses from previous art shows :
“Absolutely fantastic, so thought provoking simply beautiful!”
“Just visited the fantastic displays, Truly stunning, thank you”
“Just been to see this, it was fantastic and very moving.”
“I have been to a good number of Luxmuralis events now and they never fail to move me. Using the lofty and beautiful architecture of a Cathedral to tell human stories in light and sound in a place steeped in worship, it feels like a modern form of worship; a new way to connect with and nourish the spiritual self, whether that be in concert with one’s religious beliefs but also not requiring any in particular. It is beautiful, it is moving, it is thought-provoking, it is grounding, it is community-building, it is phenomenal Art.”
More information and FAQs
Do I need to book tickets in advance? How can I book tickets?
Yes, tickets must be booked in advance. All tickets for this event sold out in 2021. Tickets can be booked on our website here.
How will I receive my tickets
For evening or another paid event you should have received 2 separate emails. One from Rochester Cathedral and one from WorldPay. Your ticket is the email from Rochester Cathedral. Please take a note of your booking reference.
If you do not receive the email from Rochester Cathedral please check your junk folder before contacting us.
What can I expect?
The experience involves walking through the Cathedral to view a number of different light and sound projections. Each installation last about 5 – 8 minutes on a continuous loop. The whole experience should last between 40 – 50 minutes.
This exhibition includes loud sounds, music and moving and flashing images throughout the experience, as well as bright lights and areas of darkness within the Cathedral.
Timeslots
Timeslots are in operation for this event to allow a steady flow of people. Admission to the Cathedral will be within the timeslot you have booked.
Can I arrive earlier or later than my timeslot?
Early entry will not be permitted but every effort will be made to allow access if you are running late within the confines of the opening hours of the exhibition. This will depend on capacity and will be at the discretion of Rochester Cathedral.
Where will I enter and exit?
Entry will be through the North Door to the side of the Cathedral. Exit will be at the small West Door at the front of the Cathedral.
Level or Accessible Access
We will endeavour to ensure all ticket holders enjoy their experience to the best of our abilities. However, please be aware that some of the route is not suitable for all wheelchair users. There are some stairs to get up to the Quire. We do have a lift which has a weight limit of 130kgs. Please email info@rochestercathedral.org and we will advise on any specific inquiries.
Please do let us know in advance of arriving if you require assistance during the experience and we will do our best to assist.
Entry to the Cathedral for this event is through the North Door which has level access.
What do I need to show when I arrive?
Tickets can either be bought online through our website or from the Cathedral Welcome Desk. If tickets are purchased online then the confirmation email counts as your ticket. Ideally this should be printed out but it is fine to show it on your phone as well. Taking a screenshot means you don’t have to worry about signal when arriving.
If you purchase the ticket from our Welcome Desk you will get a physically printed ticket.
Please bring these with you on the night.
Carers Tickets
If you require a carers ticket please book a ticket for under 3’s.
Can I change the date and time of my ticket?
Ticket dates and times cannot be altered once purchased. Please email info@rochestercathedral.org if you have any enquiries over this.
Refunds
Tickets are non-refundable.
Will I have to queue?
Queues are likely for this event, we will do our best to get everyone admitted as close to their time slot as possible.
Parking
There is no dedicated parking for this event and car parks in Rochester will be busy. We encourage visitors to walk or use public transport where possible. Please leave plenty of time to find parking.
Please note there is a train strike on 5/10 and 8/10. Please allow plenty of time to find parking.
Do you have toilets?
Yes we do have toilets. These are located in the gardens of Rochester Cathedral. We also have a disabled toilet inside the Cathedral.
