Visual Arts Policy 06 March 2016 1
Birmingham Cathedral Visual Arts Policy This visual arts policy is written from the conviction that Birmingham cathedral is ideally placed in the heart of the city to become a notable exhibition venue and to play a significant part in the cultural, as well as the spiritual, life of its people. We believe that this policy will enrich the life and mission of our cathedral and the service it offers. The location of our building, an exquisite work of art in itself, and filled with both magnificent works of art and animated by natural sun-light, set in a natural performance space, close to University art departments and resourced by a city of inventors, craftspeople, manufacturers and artists all gives confidence to this mission. The theological imperative is that our creator God invites us to co-operate in God s creative work and in grateful response to the gift of life in all its suffering and joy. This policy seeks to outline further the theological understanding under-pinning arts work at the cathedral. The policy also names our aspirations and plans for the future. Birmingham Cathedral Chapter March 2016 CATHEDRAL Stone of the earth made of its own weight light Wendell Berry The purpose of art is washing the dust of daily life off our souls Pablo Picasso 2
The cathedral: listening to our context Birmingham Cathedral is mother church to the Anglican diocese of Birmingham and the teaching seat of the Bishop of Birmingham. An exquisite example of English baroque architecture, it is set in the heart of the city. Prayer and worship are the beating heart of the cathedral, the primary activity giving life to all mission and ministry and this policy should be read in conjunction with the Cathedral Liturgy Plan. St Philip s is a house of prayer and as well as hosting over 900 acts of worship each year, numerous musical, community and charitable events and hundreds of educational visits and tours, we seek to offer a quiet place of prayer and reflection to thousands of pilgrims and visitors. The Cathedral, like a theatre auditorium, is essentially one space and with a very sensitive acoustic, all activities are carefully managed so as not to interrupt the rhythm of prayer. Entrance to the cathedral is free. Cathedral Square around the cathedral is the only large, public, green space in the centre of the city and in the summer is a haven for office workers. A thorough-fare for thousands of people going about their business each day, it is also a place for rest and recreation. The cathedral owns this land, (essentially a closed churchyard ) and it is maintained by the local authority. As Mother Church the activities of the cathedral are of interest to a wide Christian constituency. Cathedrals have a high public reputation and can use a power of invitation wisely to gather groups of people and build community. The power of patronage (which may or may not involve money) can validate and set an example to inspire other churches. Set in a modern city the Cathedral can host events that touch the lives of thousands of worshippers and visitors, raise questions, inspire, comfort and disturb, within a safe environment. In 2015 the cathedral celebrated its tercentenary with a Soundscape created by composer Dan Jones. Speakers on roof-tops enabled evocative sound, poetry and music to fill the Square and delight thousands of visitors. 3
Art, storytelling and theatricality in the Cathedral and Cathedral Square Birmingham Cathedral was consecrated as the town s second parish church in 1715. It still retains, for the most part, its original foot-print as designed by Thomas Archer. It is English Baroque in style and is essentially a one-roomed space. In 1888 ecclesiological and liturgical development had architectural expression in changes to St Philip s in the extension of the east end to form a chancel for a choir and more prominent altar. At the same time stunning and monumentally large stained glass windows drawn by Burne-Jones and crafted by William Morris were introduced at both the east and west ends. These are master-pieces in the art of stained glass and tell the story of Christ s nativity, crucifixion, ascension and final return with great beauty and visual impact. Part of the Last Judgement window, Edward Burne-Jones 1897 4
A reordering of 1980-2 extended the chancel into the nave and the altar table was moved to the chancel apron. In theatrical terms the altar table moved from a remote proscenium arch to a thrust stage. This analogy is apt as the painted marbled effect, carried out at this time to the columns around the chancel apse, lend a greater theatrical effect to the building. Works of art in the cathedral In the north aisle, this fine large scale crucifix and figures holding candles by Eugene Ball encourage prayer and reflection. Fashioned from a railway sleeper the work emphasises the materiality of the incarnation. The copper and bronze foil complement the darkness of the wood presenting a Christ of pathos and suffering yet reigning from the tree. The 1905 cross commemorates the date when the church was elevated to cathedral status and is in an unusual art and crafts style. This work was commissioned from local maker John Paul Cooper. The modern large cross at the east end is, in contrast, a delicate design by jeweller John Donald and dates from 1963. The fine Robert Bakewell altar rail, 1716 (below) is a notable feature of the cathedral. The cover of the modern font (bottom picture) is seen here reflecting the coloured light flowing through the Burne-Jones windows. 5
Birmingham Cathedral Chapter intends, over the next few years, to commission items worthy of the beauty and dignity of this sacred space including new candle stands for votive candles, a prayer box, a nativity set; vestments; acolyte candles and liturgical furniture. Cathedral Square is one of the few green public spaces in the city. It is a thoroughfare for thousands, and a natural place of gathering and recreation in fine weather. This is a fine performance space for music, art and drama, with the opportunity of engaging passers-by and surprising people with the spirit of the Christian imagination. Something Good, begun in the cathedral s tercentenary year, has had great impact and reached thousands of people through its outdoor work both in neighbourhoods and Cathedral Square. The livepainting by Mohammed Ali and Soul Boats workshops exemplify opportunities in this space. Mohammed Ali s NOMAD outside the cathedral during Something Good Oct 2015 Theology: understanding our calling Cathedrals have always striven to offer the very best that human beings can create, to the glory of God. Churches and cathedrals are set apart to represent the truth that all time and space are God s. As the C or E Buildings Review Group report 2015 notes, we need to recognise the scriptural truth that place is a fundamental category of human and spiritual experience and that churches, operating sacramentally can help us to see through the material to the spiritual. After Early Church concern about representations of the holy were set aside, the western Christian church became a significant and enthusiastic patron of the arts. At times of illiteracy visual art in churches was a powerful means of communicating story, theology and 6
doctrine. Christianity, in which God enters his creation, taking human flesh to demonstrate his great love, places profound value on the material world. The material world may convey God s grace to us. The creative spirit is God-given. The work of artists and craftspeople can be sacramental. Our patron saint invites people to Come and See (John 1:46) echoing the invitation of Christ himself (John 1:39). We are called to show and demonstrate Christ in the heart of our city and diocese. We believe that art in the cathedral can be one of the powerful ways that people can see and encounter deeper truths and the glory of God. Art and the sacred Art enables us to find ourselves and lose ourselves at the same time. Thomas Merton We understand that our sacred place enables an experience of sacred space. A visitor referred to Birmingham Cathedral as a breathing space in the city a place where he can find some space to think, re-orientate himself within a bigger context. Sacred buildings encourage us to encounter and reflect on life s big issues. In them we can see our lives in the context of eternity. In the same way art can engage with the imagination and evoke intellectual and emotional responses that open us to the wider context of time and eternity and a greater sensitivity to awe and wonder as well as greater attentiveness to the particularity of the present moment. By attempting to make the unknown known, or the invisible visible, art provides space for contemplation and transformation. Art can nurture desire. The four magnificent Burne-Jones windows in Birmingham Cathedral depict moments of epiphany and revelations of God s loving activity among us: incarnation, crucifixion, ascension and last judgement. These events reveal heaven on earth. The windows support, we believe, our cathedral vocation to be a gate of heaven (Genesis 28: 17). The Cathedral s vocation is to be a thin place where we can glimpse, and even have a palpable sense of, the kingdom of heaven on earth. Visual art can support this vocation, enabling viewers to see things differently, pay attention and experience something new. The Burne- Jones windows up-close can be an emotionally overwhelming experience, putting the viewer both in the centre of things ( this all happened for me ) but also revealing the smallness of individual existence. Art opens up this paradox of human experience. Justin Welby, Archbishop of Canterbury, and the Burne-Jones windows Feb 2015 7
Policy: naming aspiration We will welcome art and installations of work in the cathedral that enable worship or reflection or stimulate thought or are simply beautiful or provoke wonder for individual visitors and for worshipping congregations. This work may or may not be of Christian subject matter. Since we believe that God loves his whole creation and there is nowhere that God is not so we will consider each work on its merits regardless of subject matter, medium, technique or the faith background of the artist(s). Birmingham is where the world meets. Completed in 1715 our cathedral was modelled, by an architect on the Grand Tour on Italian Baroque churches. We are now a modern European city of super-diversity, the nation s second city. We welcome art into the cathedral that represents both the local and the global and everything in between. At Christmas 2013 we hosted In the Marvellous Moment by artist Geoff Broadway (below). Through engagement with the communities around the cathedral, Geoff recorded people s feelings about Christmas and for two evenings in December these words were projected along the cathedral balustrade. Below, films of faces of local people were projected across the entire height of the cathedral gently opening and closing their eyes. The project emphasised the particularity of the incarnation, the dignity of each person and the value of our individual and shared experience. The project honoured local people, projecting their hopes and fears onto the cathedral at Christmas. 8
The 2015 Something Good project commissioned artists of different faith backgrounds to create great art visual art, poetry, soundscape through working with people from the varied neighbourhoods of our city on themes of light and dark, and the journey of life. The work had integrity, local character, universal appeal and huge impact. We are intending to continue to make work that harnesses people power and demonstrates to the people of our city that together we can create Something Good. We invite artists to pick up and work with these themes and methods. Something Good: Cathedral choirboys take part in the Skyline Symphony in Cathedral Square; women join in creative writing (led by poet Mandy Ross) and Mohammed Ali creates NOMAD artwork in Sparkhill. 9
Soul Boats installation by Jake Lever, Dec March 2016. Breath-taking! A golden flotilla of 2,000 boats created by the people of Birmingham and beyond, the culmination of the celebration of the cathedral tercentenary. Each boat is filled with a life story, bringing hopes, fears, prayers and experiences into the cathedral. This is a loving tribute to our city and to the dignity of each individual, known to God. Soul Boats was the focus of sermons and talks, a cathedral Quiet day, and a service of Night Prayer. 10
Notes for artists To be considered for installation in the Cathedral an artwork and its display method should - engage/resonate/respond positively with the Christian tradition - engage/resonate/respond positively to the building, its space and purpose and permanent art works - enable our many visitors of all faiths and none, to engage/resonate/respond positively to the art work, or with the cathedral and Christian faith, or one another - enrich the experience of worshippers and visitors of all ages and encourage visitors to return - be of the highest artistic standard within its genre (Chapter will be advised by the Cathedral Arts Group) - demonstrate the generosity and relevance of the Cathedral s prophetic imagination - enhance the cathedral s reputation and raise its national profile - encourage the young as visitors, participants and artists - meet Health and Safety requirements and cause no damage to the fabric The cathedral is particularly interested in work that - is site-specific or site-responsive - explores theological, intellectual or human themes that have the potential of speaking to a wide range of people - has been created with the participation of local people - provides opportunities for creative partnership with other city institutions and communities We are interested in all media but unfortunately, it is difficult to show video or film in the cathedral during the day due to the abundance of natural light. Sound installations will need to be heard using headphones, so that the private prayer of visitors is not interrupted. In agreeing to show the work in the cathedral, artists should be willing to - adhere to all terms and conditions - provide interpretative material and be willing to support educational or promotional events if requested The cathedral reserves the right to add its own interpretation to that provided by the artist. All permanent and temporary works of art must be externally funded (including associated costs) and free from liability to the Chapter unless Chapter has agreed to include work in its annual budget. Artists must arrange additional insurance, if required. The cathedral intends to establish an arts fund to support commissions and exhibitions. The cathedral may be able to make grant applications, or support sponsorship opportunities, but artists are encouraged to seek funding in support of exhibiting their work. 11
The cathedral will brief Visitors Chaplains, vergers and volunteers about work exhibited in the building or in Cathedral Square so that they can speak with visitors with confidence about the work. The cathedral Chapter will seek to encourage the whole cathedral community to recognise the value and significance of works of art, and the work of artists. Permissions process For temporary works of art (up to six months) - Cathedral Arts Group, meeting three times a year, advises Chapter - Chapter gives permission For temporary works of art (over six months) or permanent works - Cathedral Arts Group advises Chapter - Chapter proposal submitted to Fabric Advisory Council (local independent group) /Cathedrals Fabric Commission for England (national independent group) This longer or permanent permission process can take six nine months to complete. March 2016 12