Cathedral & History
| Today | Friday 3 Sep 2010 |
|---|---|
| 07:30 | Mattins and Litany |
| 08:00 | Holy Communion |
| 08:30 | Doors open for sightseeing |
| 12:30 | Holy Communion |
| 16:00 | Last entry for sightseeing |
| 17:00 | Evensong |
| Next 7 days | 04 | 05 | 06 | 07 | 08 | 09 | 10 |
| Next week | Next month | Next year |
Arts Programme
Throughout its history, art in St Paul's Cathedral has inspired and illuminated the Christian faith for those who visit, and provided a focus for reflection, meditation and contemplation.
The cathedral is home to a spectacular array of art; from the delicate carvings of Grinling Gibbons to Sir James Thornhill’s dome murals as well as the Victorian mosaics and Henry Moore’s ‘Mother and Child’. In recent times, a series of artistic interventions by artists including Rebecca Horn and Yoko Ono have further enriched the daily pattern of worship in the cathedral.
The St Paul's Cathedral Arts Programme seeks to explore the encounter between art and faith, and we believe that the cathedral offers a powerful and challenging context with which artists can engage.
Recent Projects
Mannheim Altarpiece, Mark Alexander (Summer 2010).jpg)
St Paul’s has chosen two new works by the British artist Mark Alexander to be hung either side of the nave this summer.
Both entitled Red Mannheim, Alexander’s large red silkscreens are inspired by the Mannheim Cathedral altarpiece (1739-41), which was damaged by bombing in the Second World War. The original sculpture depicts Christ on the cross, surrounded by a familiar retinue of mourners. Rendered in splendid giltwood, with Christ’s wracked body sculpted in relief, and the flourishes of flora and incandescent rays from heaven, this masterpiece of the German Rococo is an object of ravishing beauty and intense piety.
Find out more about Mark Alexander's Mannheim Altarpiece
Flare II, Antony Gormley (24/02/10 - present)
Flare II, a dramatic sculpture by Antony Gormley, was installed in the Geometric Staircase in April 2010.
Watch a behind the scenes conversation between Antony Gormley and Canon Giles Fraser
Read Canon Giles Fraser's Thought for the Day about Gormley's Flare II (broadcast 04/03/10)
Bill Viola commission
Internationally acclaimed artist Bill Viola has been commissioned to create two altarpieces for permanent display in St Paul’s Cathedral. The project commenced production in mid 2009 with completion in early 2011.
Following the extensive programme of cleaning and repair of the interior of St Paul’s, completed in 2005, Bill Viola has been commissioned to create two altarpieces on the themes of Mary and Martyrs. These two multi-screen video installations will be permanently located at the end of the Quire aisles, flanking the High Altar of the Cathedral and the American Memorial Chapel where US Service men and women who gave their lives in the Second World War are commemorated.
Each work will employ an arrangement of multiple plasma screen panels configured in a manner similar to historic altarpieces. The screens will be mounted on hinged panels, allowing them to be closed.
The Question Mark Inside, Martin Firrell (08/11/08 - 15/11/08)
For one week, Britain’s most famous cathedral became a lighthouse of text and light projections on the capital’s skyline. Firrell’s text was based on blog contributions from members of the public, interviews conducted by the artist with a range the UK’s most respected thinkers from the Dean of St. Paul’s to the humanist A.C Grayling, along with the artist’s own observations.
The project sought to answer the question: ‘what are the things that make modern life meaningful and what does St Paul’s mean in that contemporary context?’
Visit The Question Mark Inside online archive
