Church art gallery rings the changes with thousand bells

The work called Temple of a Thousand Bells, by Laura Belém, is based on an ancient legend about a temple on an island that sinks into the ocean and the attempts of a sailor to hear the music of the bells which were lost to the depths.

It has been installed at York St Mary’s, a medieval church in the centre of York that was de-consecrated in 1958 and opened as a contemporary art venue York Museums Trust in 2004.

The work was commissioned for the Liverpool Biennial International 10 exhibition before being shown elsewhere.

Museums trust art curator Laura Turner said: “We first saw this incredible piece of art at the National Glass Centre in Sunderland and thought it would be ideal for the space of York St Mary’s.

“We proposed the idea to Laura and she was really excited about showing the piece here because it was originally created to be shown in a church like setting.

“The ideas and imagery which the piece evokes will take on new meanings in St Mary’s, offering visitors the chance to see something truly unique.”

Seeing the installation is free. The show opens on May 25 and runs until November 4.