wfn.org | Anglican Cutting Edge Cathedral Opens Doors to Artists

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ACNS 2921 - SCOTLAND - 28 March 2002

Cutting-edge Cathedral opens doors to artists

[The Scottish Episcopal Church] Worshippers at St Mary's Cathedral, Glasgow,
are to share their pews with some of Scotland's most avant-garde artists.
The Gothic revival building has taken on a new role as a spiritual home for
experimental art after its performance facilities were upgraded in a #3.5m
restoration. The West End congregation, which includes many painters,
writers and musicians, has just moved back after 20 years of rebuilding and
construction. Members are planning to celebrate their return with a festival
of music and the arts throughout the month of May called FEAST. Ten
contemporary Scottish artists will be given free rein to display
groundbreaking works inside the building.

"We're looking at some severely contemporary work," said Ian Balch, the
artist and member of St Mary's congregation who is co-ordinating the
displays. "It's going to jolt people out of their skins - although the
building will still be able to function as a cathedral."

Participants, who include composer David Paul Jones and artists Mary Redmond
and Craig Mulholland, are still drawing up plans. One has suggested shooting
laser beams from the east corner of the cathedral to the west. Another has
come up with a high-tech scheme to play with sunlight coming into the
cathedral. Sunny windows could be blocked off while the darker ones could be
lit with artificial light - as if the sun had decided to rise in the west.

Church leaders plan to use the festival to launch a new partnership between
the cutting-edge cathedral and artists from Glasgow's vibrant West End
community.

The cathedral, designed by Sir George Gilbert Scott and consecrated in 1884,
will become Glasgow's newest modern arts venue. The Very Rev Griff Dines, St
Mary's provost, said, "Our chief purpose will still be to worship God. But
we are also a resource for the community - which for us is the vibrant,
creative community of Glasgow's West End. We're not interested in
controversy for controversy's sake. But modern art often likes to challenge
the norm - and so does the church. We see this as very much a spiritual
venture. We can afford to take risks with young artists because we have a
lively congregation and we don't rely on the exhibitions for our income."

Historic plaques have been moved from the main walls to clear exhibition
space. Pews have been reorganised to make room for a stage, which doubles as
the cathedral's second altar. The performance space - designed for everyone
from string quartets to dance troops - is surrounded by a theatrical
backdrop of 15-foot spikes. Craftsmen have also carved 20 new gargoyles
around the outside of the building, based on the faces of church members,
friends and supporters. St Mary's has always been associated with art and
craftsmanship - from its famed stained glass windows to Gwyneth Leech's
striking modern murals along with her triptych of the Easter story, set this
time in Glasgow's Kelvingrove Park.

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