Local community to build temporary sculpture of old Coventry Cathedral

A Coventry community project will install a temporary cardboard sculpture of the old Cathedral to recognise the 85th anniversary of the Blitz this November.

The sculpture, which will be displayed in Broadgate, is inspired by the ruins of the old cathedral, which was destroyed during World War 2. Set to stand 20m high and weigh more than one ton, the landmark will be made out of thousands of pieces of cardboard.

The installation will act as a temporary landmark. The “monumental” structure will stand at approximately 20m high. To create this sculpture, Coventry’s City Council is relying on the support and participation of local people.

From November 10-15, Coventry’s communities have been invited to attend a number of free workshops in the city centre to support the construction project. Coventry City Council aims for residents “to play their own part in the city’s history”.

These volunteers will then be invited back on Saturday 15 November to see the finished piece before it is deconstructed on Sunday 16 November at 3pm.

Councillor Khan celebrated ‘the engagement of local people’ and that … ‘people continue to work towards peace and reconciliation as we move forward’

The artist directing this project, Olivier Grossetête, said that the planned deconstruction will reflect the sudden loss and destruction felt during the Blitz. He called it “especially poignant”, as people are “contributing to something both enjoyable and thought-provoking”.

Councillor Abdul Salam Khan, Deputy Leader of Coventry City Council, praised the uniqueness of the project. He celebrated its reliance upon “the engagement of local people” and that it encourages people to remember the past while ensuring “people continue to work towards peace and reconciliation as we move forward”.

Alongside this project, Coventry City Council will also be holding a vigil and service on November 14 to mark the Coventry Blitz. The civic service and a two-minute silence will remember the 550 people who lost their lives during the 12-hour raid in World War 2.