Murmuration

Christ Church Cathedral
318 E 4th Street,
Cincinnati, OH

May 2017

Murmuration was the winner of the 2019 CODAawards in the Liturgical category. Selected by a jury of 18, including Interior Design editor-in-chief Cindy Allen and Hall of Fame members Alexandra Champalimaud, Robin Klehr Avia, and Mark Zeff, Murmuration was determined the Liturgical Winner from a pool of over 400 entries from 27 countries.

Murmuration is a permanent installation created for Christ Church Cathedral’s 200th anniversary. Over 1,000 individual, hand-strung birds of steel, copper and brass mesh gather inside the doors of the cathedral and sweep a length of 90 feet into the nave, forming a large flock that flies down the length of the church and disperses throughout the cathedral offices and into the chapel.

Murmuration is the phenomenon whereby birds in huge flocks fly in an ever-changing formation. Inspired by this concept, Patterson created the installation, Murmuration for Christ Church Cathedral’s 200th anniversary. Individual bird sculptures gather inside the doors of the cathedral and form a large flock that flies down the length of the church and circles the hanging cross above the altar. Christ Cathedral has served as a community anchor and a source of outreach for the city. As a metaphor for this involvement similar individual birds are displayed in some of the community centers that Christ Church has supported over the years. The flying and flocking of these bird sculptures in different places represent the relationship between Christ Church Cathedral and the many communities of Cincinnati. Patterson says, “Just as birds in a flock can create awe inspiring cloud like formations, we individual humans can create something that is greater, more powerful and more beautiful together as a community.”

Associate Designer: Kina Park

Assistant: Dan Harrington

Lighting: Trevor Shibley

Rigging: Mark Reed and Beck Studios