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Helios sculpture arrives at Fountains Abbey

Friday, 3 October 2025 15:10

Helios sculpture

This weekend, Fountains Abbey in North Yorkshire will host Helios, a large-scale sculpture of the sun.

The seven-metre illuminated sphere is covered in detailed solar imagery and accompanied by a soundscape made from NASA recordings.

Visitors will be able to experience the installation during the day and into twilight, when the artwork will be lit against the abbey’s floodlit ruins and autumn skies.

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.

He added:

"Fountains Abbey is the best outdoor location I have seen this work exhibited so far.

"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.”

Fountains Abbey, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, provides a historic backdrop for the sculpture.

The Cistercian monks who founded the abbey in the 12th century organised their daily routines around the sun, linking the installation to the site’s history.

Justin Scully, from the National Trust, said:

“We’re thrilled to be hosting Helios here. Fountains Abbey and Studley Royal have a long history of displaying contemporary artwork with links to the history of the site.

"The sun will have been central to the day-to-day life to the monks who lived and worked here.

"It feels really special to see the sun taking centre stage amongst the ruins almost 900 years later.”

Helios will be on display with standard admission on 5th, 1th and 12th October from 10am to 4pm.

Special sunrise and sunset events will also take place, with tickets available through the Fountains Abbey website

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