Coventry Cathedral to host major exhibition celebrating local sculptor

Posted on Thu 26 Mar

Coventry Cathedral is set to unveil Reclaiming Sanctuary, a significant new exhibition celebrating the six‑decade career of Coventry‑born sculptor Peter Eugene Ball. Running from Friday 1 May to Sunday 7 June 2026 in the Chapel of Industry, the exhibition offers a rare opportunity to experience original works drawn from the extensive Peter Eugene Ball Collection held at Coventry University Archives (CUA).

Curated by Coventry University Archives in partnership with undergraduate students from the Graphic Art and Design programme, Reclaiming Sanctuary traces Ball’s artistic journey from his early studies at the Coventry College of Art to his recent donation of Our Lady of Peace to Coventry Cathedral. The exhibition highlights Ball’s distinctive use of reclaimed materials - such as driftwood and Victorian front doors - transforming overlooked objects into contemplative religious and secular sculptures.

Ball’s works appear in over 90 cathedrals and churches across the UK, with many more held in public and private collections worldwide. His innovative approach to sculpture, combining found objects with metal and paint, has established him as a leading figure in contemporary British ecclesiastical art.

About Peter Eugene Ball

Born in Coventry in 1943, Ball studied at the Coventry College of Art from 1958 to 1962 before exhibiting in London’s Marjorie Parr Gallery during the 1960s. Working alongside notable contemporaries including John Piper, Winifred Nicholson, and John Hitchens, he quickly developed a dedicated following, with collectors acquiring his pieces alongside works by prominent artists such as Barbara Hepworth.

Although initially trained as a painter, Ball transitioned to sculpture early in his career. Over more than 60 years, he has produced an extensive body of work - both religious and secular - using reclaimed materials as the foundation for his expressive forms. The Peter Eugene Ball Collection at CUA includes hundreds of images of his sculptures, exhibition catalogues, press cuttings, rare preparatory paintings, and audio recordings chronicling his life and artistic development.

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