Art, Pilgrimage and London Stations

Among the many interests of the researchers on the AHRC funded project Pilgrimage and England’s Cathedrals, Past and Present [http://www.pilgrimageandcathedrals.ac.uk/about] is the role of art and material culture in English cathedrals: what sort of art is displayed in, and commissioned by, cathedrals, and how do people react to and interact with such art? I was fascinated, therefore, to learn of ‘Stations of the cross’, described on its own website as a

‘unique exhibition—held in 14 locations across London—[that] uses works of art to tell the story of the Passion in a new way, for people of different faiths. In this pilgrimage for art lovers, viewers will travel across London, mapping the geography of the Holy Land onto the streets of a “new Jerusalem”.’ [http://www.coexisthouse.org.uk/stations2016.html]

In some denominations of Christianity, the Stations of the Cross depict and reconstruct the last journey of Jesus through Jerusalem, from being condemned to death to being laid in his tomb. Around Easter especially, this relocation and replication of sacred time and place can take on a particular resonance. The rationale of the London Stations of the Cross art trail is to break up the traditional grouping which miniaturises the last journey within one space.  Instead, it spreads the 14 stations across London.  Artworks in a variety of locations (cathedrals, art galleries, churches, outdoor sites) are designated as particular stations, inviting contemplation of the works of art, their locations, and their contemporary resonances with each station’s traditional story.

Terry Duffy’s Victim, No Resurrection?, King’s College London

Terry Duffy’s Victim, No Resurrection?, King’s College London

The trail frames and re-frames artworks old and new, familiar and unfamiliar, in a variety of media. Station One – ‘Jesus is condemned to death by the mob’ –is represented Terry Duffy’s Victim, No Resurrection? (painted in response to the 1981 UK riots) in the chapel of King’s College London, while Station Two -’Jesus takes up his cross and begins his journey’ –is Philip Jackson’s statue of Mahatma Gandhi in Parliament Square, an interesting (and possibly controversial) designation of a familiar landmark. James Balmforth’s minimalist sculpture Intersection Point appears in the Methodist Central Hall as Station Three – ‘Jesus falls the first time’ –while Station Four – ‘Jesus meets his mother’ – is in fact Station Four of Eric Gill’s Stations of the Cross in Westminster Cathedral (one of our partner cathedrals in the Pilgrimage and England’s Cathedrals project).

Eric Gill, Station IV, Westminster Cathedral

Eric Gill, Station IV, Westminster Cathedral

This juxtaposing of new art works in old locations, the framing of existing artworks as stations and the re-framing of what each station’s story might mean in the contemporary milieu, combine to create an intriguing and thought provoking journey through familiar and less frequented London sites. Station Eight – Jesus meets the women of Jerusalem – took me to Notre Dame de France Church just off Leicester Square, of which I had been completely unaware. The church houses Our Lady’s Chapel with its extraordinary Jean Cocteau mural, a space I found wonderfully tranquil, with Gregorian chant playing in the background. It is also home of the Notre Dame Refugee Centre.

Jean Cocteau mural, Notre Dame de France

Jean Cocteau mural, Notre Dame de France

The display of what were originally religious works of art in secular contexts such as art galleries is a frequent topic of academic discussion, so the inclusion of works of art in The Wallace Collection and The National Gallery designated as Stations Five and Seven respectively de-framed them as works of art in a gallery and re-framed/ restored them temporarily as religious pieces.

I did not have time to do the whole trail, but the final two artworks I visited I found particularly striking; they were physically close but in both medium and location very different.

At St Paul’s Cathedral I saw Station Eleven – ‘Crucifixion: Jesus is nailed to the cross’ – which is not actually a depiction of the Crucifixion but Martyrs (Earth, Air, Fire, Water) by Bill Viola and Kira Perov, described on the ‘Stations’ website as ‘a cutting edge piece of video art and an homage to the themes and imagery of traditional altarpieces.’ I watched the four-screen, free-standing installation a number of times, concentrating on each different element in succession, as well as trying to take in the piece as a whole.  During that time various sightseers to St Paul’s appeared to glance at it for a few seconds then move on, perhaps highlighting the extent to which unfamiliar art in this context might be unwelcome or at least puzzling, and the extent to which many cathedrals are ‘must see’ tourist sites as well as devotional spaces.

Among the issues we are examining in relation to the Pilgrimage and England’s Cathedrals project is paying for admission to cathedrals, so I was interested to see how free admission for Station Eleven was handled. On presentation of the voucher I had printed from the ‘Stations’ website I was handed a blue sticky label with ‘Bill Viola’ printed on it and so gained free admission to the Cathedral (normally £18); the voucher specifically states ‘Free admission only to Martyr Altarpiece, not full Cathedral.’

Sea of Colour by Guler Ates, International Headquarters of The Salvation Army

Sea of Colour by Guler Ates, International Headquarters of The Salvation Army

Just down the road I found my final station, Station Ten – ‘Jesus is stripped of his garments’ – represented by Sea of Colour by Guler Ates, positioned in the International Headquarters of The Salvation Army. This a huge fabric artwork, according to the ‘Stations’ website composed of ‘donated and discarded children’s and baby clothes, too worn, damaged, or dirty to be used for charity,’ created by the artist with women from local refugee groups. The work can be seen from the pavement outside the building, but it is well worth going inside to examine the detail of words written on the clothing (e.g. ‘I am a child refugee I am scared of the sea’) and to view the video documenting the construction of the piece and its journey across the Thames to the Salvation Army building.

Sea of Colour by Guler Ates, International Headquarters of The Salvation Army - detail

Sea of Colour by Guler Ates, International Headquarters of The Salvation Army – detail

The trail is an intriguing venture, into which much work, thought, imagination, creativity and cooperation have gone. It sets out to be inclusive, using the work of Christian, Jewish, Muslim and atheist artists, but also challenging in its use of a Christian devotional form in an innovative way to make people see new things, see familiar things in a new light, and to make imaginative leaps between then and now. I did not have time to get to everything on the trail, but it was a thought-provoking, visually stimulating and educational experience.  Supplied on the website are a Map, an App, information and podcasts related to the artworks and, importantly, the downloadable voucher giving free admission to St Paul’s Cathedral, The Tower of London and the Temple Church to see the designated Stations there. Even if you cannot get to London while the trail is active, it’s worth exploring the website as a sort of virtual pilgrimage.

http://www.coexisthouse.org.uk/stations2016.html

Marion Bowman (Open University)