Modernists strand whale in a cathedral

A whale washes up in Xanten Cathedral

14 meters long, nine meters wide, weighing hundreds of kilograms: the story behind the life-size humpback whale sculpture in St. Victor's Cathedral.

"Xanten Cathedral has existed for 1,300 years. And it has certainly seen a lot in that time. But a whale hasn't been among the sights until now," says Provost Stefan Notz. He gazes in amazement at the gray colossus currently taking shape in the center of St. Victor's. "It only just fits in here."

The sculpture, measuring 14 meters in length and nine meters in width, is the artwork "The Cast Whale Project" by Israeli artist Gil Shachar. It is a cast of a life-size humpback whale that washed ashore at Lambert’s Bay in South Africa in 2018.

Pews out, whale in

On Sunday, February 22, the art installation will be ceremoniously opened by Auxiliary Bishop Rolf Lohmann during an 11:30 a.m. service. It will remain on display in the cathedral until March 22. The exhibition will be accompanied by a series of events.

Before the whale could settle into Xanten Cathedral—staff from the cathedral workshop had first removed the pews from the central nave—a major logistical effort was required. After all, the sculpture, consisting of five parts, had to be transported into the cathedral: four classes from the Placidahaus Vocational College in Xanten, which is participating in the project, stepped up to carry the individual sections from the truck parked in the market square into the church. It took 25 students just to carry each of the two main body sections—measuring 14 meters in length and weighing 250 kilograms—into the cathedral.

A tight squeeze at the entrance

Beyond mere muscle power, the task of maneuvering the bulky sections through the cathedral’s south portal required finesse and teamwork. The vestibule behind the door posed a challenge in terms of both height and width. Clear instructions from Gil Shachar and his assistants helped navigate this bottleneck.

Shachar came up with the idea for his whale project in a dream. "I dreamt of a stranded whale—and of making a cast of it to create a sculpture," the artist recounts.

The whale in Xanten—why now?

The life-sized sculpture of Earth’s largest living mammal is intended to serve as a reminder of the fragility of creation: "You stand before it and are left speechless." The installation is not a scientific specimen but a work of art "that engages with the sacred space of the church."

For the installation’s patron, Auxiliary Bishop Lohmann, the timing of the exhibition is well-chosen: "In this stranded, dead animal, we essentially have the entire message of death and resurrection physically before us. It is no coincidence that this art installation is taking place in Xanten Cathedral during Lent." It is intended to encourage reflection on our responsibility for creation and on climate justice. Additional Events and Exhibition

For the schools belonging to the St. Viktor Provost Parish that are participating in the project, the work serves as "a striking symbol of transience, nature, and humanity." It raises "existential questions of our time," says Thorsten Funke, head of the Placidahaus Vocational College. For Michael Lemkens, principal of the Marienschule, the whale represents "a powerful symbol of vulnerability, responsibility, and how humans treat Creation."

Funke highlights the accompanying program: "It includes everything from a panel discussion and a literary and musical evening to a quiz held at the whale." Additionally, starting February 14, the Stiftsmuseum Xanten is hosting an exhibition featuring further works by Gil Shachar.

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