Sanctuary. That is the name of an exhibition of stone sculpture by John Maine, RA, at Salisbury Cathedral from 8 March until 23 July.
Sanctuary comprises a number of stone installations in the Close and a procession of granite carvings in the cloisters, with a stack of 25 granite discs forming a column in the garth. A sequence of incised stone panels, based on the floor patterns of the Sacrarium and Shrine of Westminster Abbey, can be seen in and around the Morning Chapel.
The exhibition encourages the viewer to engage with the many meanings and implications of the idea of 'sanctuary', not least as a place of safety and refuge.
There are contained areas creating focus within the larger sanctuary of the Cathedral Close, mysterious places created for reflection and contemplation.
Sanctuary is curated by Jacquiline Creswell, Visual Arts Advisor at the Cathedral. The concept for the exhibition was triggered when she saw John Maine's stone sculpture 'After Cosmati' at the Royal Academy.
“I was reminded of the sense of calm reverence I encountered while walking among the stones at Avebury Ring and Stonehenge," she says. "There is a path that draws you in, through and around, inviting the visitor to stay and engage with the setting. I felt there was a resonance and connection with the stone and geometry of the Cathedral. In the open grounds here the installation 'After Cosmati' will take on yet another transformation, offering a labyrinth-like experience; an encounter with stone forms, some partially shaped and others finely carved.
"The installations which comprise the Sanctuary exhibition have a strong physical presence and their weight and density allows for physical engagement, to sit on or just to touch. Sanctuary also explores the ways that sculpture can respond to changes of scale and create a feeling of energy alongside a sense of stillness."
Sarah Mullally, Canon Treasurer and Chairman of the Cathedral’s Exhibitions Committee, said: “Salisbury Cathedral is testament to the beauty of stone both in its strength and its ability to portray detail. The craftsmen and women who built this wonderful building did so to enable us to journey with them to the heavens.
"John Maine’s sculptures both complement and provide a contrast to the stone of the Cathedral and the landscape of the Cathedral Close. The pieces seek to bring us on a journey not just heavenwards but, like any good labyrinth, inwards; quieting the mind and stilling the heart. Maybe it is here that we encounter sanctuary in a busy world.”
John Maine is inspired by Salisbury Cathedral as a location for his artwork. “The unique setting of Salisbury Cathedral, linked distantly to Old Sarum and the great archaeological sites of the Wiltshire landscape beyond, has always been an area of interest for me. The opportunity to show work here is a significant step in understanding how sculpture can become part of a spiritual place.”
The Cathedral will be running a full programme of events to support the exhibition, including workshops, talks and discussions. For further information on the supporting programme visit www.salisburycathedral.org.uk.
Recommended viewing times are Monday-Saturday 9.30am–5pm and Sunday 12 noon–4pm (services are held at 8.00am, 9.15am, 10.30am and 4.30pm).
Drawings, sketchbooks and maquettes relating to the exhibition can be seen in the Young Gallery at Salisbury Library for six weeks from the start of the exhibition, while at Sarum College there is an exhibition of photographs of other site-specific sculptures and source material photographed by John Maine, for the duration of Sanctuary.
Salisbury is unique among medieval English cathedrals in having been built in just 38 years (1220 -1258) in a single architectural style (early English Gothic). The tower and spire (Britain’s tallest at 123m) were added about 50 years later and the Cathedral itself is a testimony to the faith and practical skills of those who erected it.
As well as being a heritage building, the cathedral is a living church and place of spirituality and prayer. It houses the finest original copy of the 1215 Magna Carta, which is on permanent display to visitors in the Chapter House. Next year (2015) there will be a major new exhibition about Magna Carter in the Chapter House to mark the 800th anniversary of the signing of this historic document.
As well as the current John Maine exhibition, Salisbury Cathedral is rich in contemporary artworks. They include pieces by Elisabeth Frink, Gabriel Loire, William Pye and Emily Young.