A Northumberland National Trust property will display a seven-metre floating sun sculpture this spring.
Seaton Delaval Hall will host Luke Jerram’s Helios from March 19 – April 6, a floating sun at an approximate scale of 1:200 million, each centiemtre representing 2,000km of the sun’s surface. The installation, which is named after the Ancient Greek God who personified the sun, fuses solar imagery and sunlight, backed by a specially created surround sound composition including NASA recordings of our star.
Jerram’s previous works Museum of the Moon and Gaia have made appearances at Durham Cathedral, with visitor numbers reported to have “skyrocketed” as the moon hung in the nave. National Trust bosses hope for a similar effect, and say they are aiming to make sure the artwork is as accessible to as many people as possible with an events programme, including opportunities with free admission.
Emma Thomas, general manager for Seaton Delaval Hall, said she was delighted to welcome Helios to the hall. She said: “That Luke will tour his work here is a fitting tribute to the creative practitioners who have gone before under the hall’s longstanding involvement in and support of the arts.
“To host Helios is a fantastic launch of the hall’s creative programme for 2025. Later in the year, we’ll also be showcasing regional talent through the proposals for the North East Emerging Artist Award in May, followed by the exhibition from the 2024 finalists in September.”
Seaton Delaval Hall is the second stop on Helios’ tour of National Trust properties in 2025. It premiered this month at Bath Assembly Rooms and will carry on to the Ickworth Estate in Suffolk and Dyffryn Gardens in Wales after its stint in Northumberland.
Visitors looking at Luke Jerram’s Helios, which is coming to Northumberland in March
(Image: ©National Trust Images/James Dobson)
John Orna-Onrstein, the National Trust’s director of access and conservation, said Helios would provide a “simple and bold way” to connect the public to Trust’s ambitions for the next decade. He said: “Working with Luke has been such a natural fit for the Trust.
“Both passionate about the climate crisis and ensuring that as many people can access the arts and culture as possible, Helios presented the ideal opportunity to collaborate. It will provide a dramatic focal point for specifically created events and programming, as we seek to engage more people with the benefits of experiencing nature and culture.”
Artist Luke Jerram said: “We all know that it is very dangerous to look directly at the sun, as it can damage our eyesight. 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 Northern Lights are one of the greatest wonders and displays of art in the natural world. I’ve incorporated the source of the solar flares which caused this phenomenon to be visible over the UK in May 2024. I hope that the soundscape, lighting and sheer scale of Helios will combine to make an extraordinary and uplifting experience for the public and I cannot wait to see it showcased in some of the most wonderful locations around England, Wales and Northern Ireland.”
Luke Jerram’s Helios will be at Seaton Delaval Hall from Wednesday, March 19 until Sunday, April 6. For more information on Seaton Delaval Hall, visit its page on the National Trust website.
Join our Northumberland WhatsApp community for all the latest news Northumberland news direct to your phone.
To join you need to have WhatsApp on your device. All you need to do is choose which community you want to join, click on the link and press ‘join community’.
No one will be able to see who is signed up and no one can send messages except the ChronicleLive team.
We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners.
If you don’t like our community, you can check out any time you like. To leave our community click on the name at the top of your screen and choose ‘exit group’.
If you’re curious, you can read our privacy notice.
CLICK HERE TO JOIN