Anglican Communion News Service

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.

Article from: The Scottish Episcopal Church