Sun and Moon Window (1998) by Sir Terry Frost Renovated at Exeter Phoenix
Published October 13, 2025
Sir Terry Frost (RA)
Sun and Moon Window, 1998
Hand blown stained glass
This extraordinary public artwork by the late Sir Terry Frost RA (1915 – 2003) depicts an abstracted seascape in which the water reflects images of both the sun and the moon. It was commissioned to coincide with the opening of Exeter Phoenix in 1999, redeveloped from the former Exeter & Devon Arts Centre with the support of the National Lottery.
Sir Terry was a leading figure in 20th Century British abstract painting, whose work was renowned for its use of light, colour and shape and is held in many national and international museum collections. He was one of a trail-blazing group of mid 20th Century modern artists who were drawn to the extraordinary light and landscape of Cornwall, which continued to inspire his work throughout his life. Created towards the very end of his long career, the opportunity to translate his work into stained-glass added an unusual, possibly unique, medium to Frost’s extensive body of work.
"I’ve seen wonderful stained glass in various places all over the world, from Le Corbusier’s chapel at Ronchamp to the Matisse Chapel in Vence, and the Cathedrals at Rouen and Reims...
I wanted to get the colour so that it can be more than on the glass, but in the space, so people walk through the colour and feel it." Terry Frost, 1998
Located in the busy heart of our building, the window has formed a backdrop to thousands of creative, cultural and community events for over 25 years. In 2025, with the support of The Finnis Scott Foundation, it was renovated by local glass artist, Matt Le Breton, to ensure that this important piece of local and national art history is preserved as an important part of our ongoing story.