Thursday 23 September 2010

CRUCIBLE

I just had to let you all know about the most fantastic exhibition at Gloucester Cathedral, it is on until 30th October and is well worth traveling to.
The sculptures look wonderful in the magnificent setting of the cloisters
and the grounds, each piece sensitively placed to best effect.
The work is varied and dramatic. This is St Bartholomew, Exquisite Pain by Damien Hurst.

Waiting for Godot by Marc Quinn.

Close V by Anthony Gormley RA, all very dramatic, shocking and moving.

This is a small detail from a monumental piece, It's a Swell Day for Stormy Petrels by Phillip King PPRA. I am drawn to the bird images.

This exhibition has very challenging and controversial works one of which in my opinion is this, Calvary by David Mach RA. I like it's intensity and the way it works in the space it is placed.

I may be a little predictable but this head, Noah & the Raven by Jon Buck is one of my favourites. This piece is an early work made in the 1980's, he works very differently now. It is interesting that he has used the raven and not the dove as the focus in this narrative.

My favourite piece from the whole show is perhaps the easiest to walk by unnoticed, called Dripping by David Behar-Perahia it is a sound and light sculpture. Representing the everyday activity of hand washing by the monks before entering the Refectory with dripping watery noises and the tranquil shimmer of coloured light on the cloister floor it has a soothing effect.
The whole show is a feast for art lovers, it is stunning to see so many works of art in such a beautiful setting. The richness of the Cathedrals interior does not overwhelm the work but adds a strength to each piece that a white cube gallery does not. I have only scratched the surface of this exhibition as there are 76 sculptures to see.







4 comments:

Patricia G said...

Thank you for this. I love sculpture. Will try to get there.

tess stieben said...

I also like the raven/noah piece and not just because I am into birds Due to my interest in religions and how parables and myth are interpreted I find it fascinating. Noah first sent out a raven to seek dry land. The raven flew to and fro and with a great flapping of wings the waters recede so that when the dove was sent out the second time it was able to retrieve an olive leaf. In many cultures raven is helper and trickster, so to is he in the bible. In raven is seen both good and bad.

mycuriousteaparty said...

Thank you so much for sharing your photographs, it must have been absolutly wonderful to see such amazing work in the Cathedral.

I was lucky enough to see the silver version of Damien Hursts St Bartholomew, Exquisite Pain, it was breathtaking.

Anthony Gormley's Close V, Phillip King's birds Oh! How I would love to visit this exhibition, no chance I'm afraid, so I thank you once again for the wonderful photo's.

~ Julie

andrea said...

I would love to see this and think it's very wise of him to use the raven!