Les Colombes is an installation at the National Cathedral. From the Cathedral site: “Just before Christmas, German artist Michael Pendry installed the Les Colombes exhibit: a winding column of more than 2,000 origami paper doves in the grand nave of Washington National Cathedral. Symbolizing hope and the Holy Spirit, the doves encourage a feeling of optimism as we end a challenging 2020 and begin a new year. This sculpture is arranged to give new life to our Cathedral, embody our resolve to be kind to our fellow human, and to do our part in making a better tomorrow.”
To see it:
Timed tickets are available on the Cathedral site. While no specific end date has been announced, tickets are currently available during June.
The exhibit can be viewed either during the day or at night. The above photos show the view during the day. At night, when colored lights are shining, the exhibit looks different but just as magical:
Les Colombes has previously appeared in Salisbury Cathedral in Salisbury, England; St. Martin-in-the-Fields in London; Mount Zion in Jerusalem; Heilig-Geist Viktualienmarkt in Munich; and Grace Cathedral in San Francisco.
Guest contibutor Mark Caicedo is a D.C.-based photographer whose wide body of work includes photographing live performances, people, cultures, and the natural world. You can see more of his work on Instagram @anothersetlistthief (general work) or @setlistthief (live music photos), or on Flickr. He writes about music performances on ParkLifeDC.