A stunning 10-foot-tall sculpture featuring giant angel wings has arrived at Peterborough Cathedral, offering hope and comfort to the community following shocking events that rocked the city over the weekend. The art installation, titled "Solace," was scheduled to arrive this week but its timing has proven particularly meaningful as residents seek healing and reflection.
The magnificent sculpture consists of shimmering glass wings that symbolize freedom, fragility, strength, and protection. Created by artist Layne Rowe, "Solace" features more than 100 individually hot-sculpted glass feathers, each carefully crafted with fine white canework to capture the light, flowing nature of real wings. An iron framework supports the delicate structure while subtle lighting creates an ethereal glow that brings the piece to life.
"Some people just need something beautiful to reflect in their lives, and give them a bit of hope," explained artist Layne Rowe. The sculpture was originally created in 2020 for St Albans Abbey as a response to the collective grief and loss experienced during the pandemic. Since its debut, "Solace" has been exhibited at prestigious venues including Ely Cathedral, The Chelsea Flower Show, The British Glass Biennale, and Sheffield Cathedral. Most recently, it was displayed at Fenland Crematorium for Angel Day, where it provided visitors with a sacred space for remembrance and reflection.
Dean of Peterborough, the Very Reverend Chris Dalliston, emphasized the sculpture's spiritual significance during these challenging times. "Angels are agents of God's protection, they are defenders of the weak and the vulnerable, and they are messengers of hope – and I think all those things are really important to us at the moment," he said. "We need to know that in a very fragile world, God cares for us, that we must support one another – we must become the angels, and standing in front of this, with the wings behind us, we become messengers of hope and defenders of the fragile, and I think that is really important."
The creation process for "Solace" was both labor-intensive and deeply meaningful for the artist. "There are over 100 feathers, all hand made, and hand blown. It took a while, as there was a lot of experimenting to get the feathers right, it was three or four months of making," Rowe explained. "The metal work was done by a friend of mine. It had to be life size so people could stand in front of them and have that reaction of being an angel." The artist noted that he "couldn't think of a better place than a Cathedral to exhibit this."
The public response to "Solace" has been overwhelmingly positive, with visitors finding deep personal meaning in the artwork. "The reaction has been fantastic. It has created a lot of interest," Rowe observed. "Someone who had lost their partner through COVID came to visit yesterday before we had the whole thing up. Some of these things you start off to make them, and you have a reason for making them, but it is everyone else who tells you the big reason." The sculpture will remain on display at Peterborough Cathedral until Sunday, December 1, providing the community with an ongoing source of comfort and inspiration during this difficult time.
