New Stations for a ‘New Jerusalem’

Open from 10 February - 28 March 2016

Art work by Leni Diner Dothan, situated in Temple Church. 

On the day he died, Jesus walked the Via Dolorosa through the streets of Jerusalem, a holy city for Jews, which would later become sacred to Christians and Muslims.  Jesus’ journey is traditionally commemorated by the Stations of the Cross.  Across the chasm of two thousand years, this tortured path resonates with current events for people of many faiths and cultures.  In particular, it calls to mind the hazardous journeys of refugees from today’s Middle East. This unique exhibition—held in 14 locations across London—uses works of art to tell the story of the Passion in a new way, for people of different faiths.  In this pilgrimage for art lovers, viewers will travel across London, mapping the geography of the Holy Land onto the streets of a ‘new Jerusalem.’  

The Stations will weave through religious as well as secular spaces, from cathedrals to museums.  The art on display will run the gamut from Old Master paintings to contemporary video installations.  Artists will include Christians, Jews, Muslims, and atheists.  Instead of easy answers, the Stations aim to provoke the passions:  artistically, spiritually, and politically. Visitors can take this tour by downloading maps and podcasts from our website, along with a new app, ‘Alight,’ which will launch on 10 Feb.  Details about prayer services, lectures, performances, and other associated events at the National Gallery, the Wallace Collection, and churches across London are available on our website.  Cash donations will be collected online and in person for Syrian refugees.

The exhibition is supported by King’s College London, Cambridge Inter-faith Programme, Coexist House, and Art & Sacred Places.

Please visit the exhibition webpage at Coexist House.

Endorsements

His Eminence Cardinal Vincent Nichols:  ‘For many centuries, the Passion of Jesus has inspired artists to some of their most outstanding work. I warmly welcome this innovative ‘Stations of the Cross’ project, bringing together Catholic, Anglican, and Methodist churches, as well as museums and public spaces around London, to enrich with new artistic endeavour our meditation on the redemptive suffering and death of Jesus Christ.  The narrative of the Passion, embodied through these 14 impressive works of art, provides a powerful encouragement to think about not only the suffering of Jesus in this Lenten season, but the suffering of innocent people around the world.  I pray that this exhibition will be a great success and wish to thank most sincerely the curators, artists, and institutions who have made it happen.’

The Bishop of Stepney, Rt Revd Adrian Newman:  ‘These remarkable Stations of the Cross represent an iconic Lent pilgrimage across the landscape of contemporary London.  They navigate a journey filled with modern meaning – dispossessed communities, fleeing refugees, displaced identities, and all who suffer injustice and oppression.  This is visual art which melts the distinctions between sacred and secular, past and present, material and spiritual, offering up a liminal experience here on the streets of this culturally diverse capital city. Art and Christianity have a wonderful history, and I’m delighted to see this exhibition bring them together in such a creative way.’

Locations

King’s College London, Parliament Square, Methodist Central Hall, Westminster Cathedral, the Wallace Collection, Cavendish Square, National Gallery, Notre Dame de France, The Barbican and St Giles Cripplegate, The Salvation Army International Headquarters, St Paul’s Cathedral, The Tower of London, St Stephen Walbrook, Temple Church

Artists

Old and Modern Masters:  Jacopo Bassano, Eric Gill, Jacob Epstein, Jean Cocteau

Contemporary Artists:  Bill Viola, Philip Jackson, Terry Duffy, G. Roland Biermann, Michael Takeo Magruder, Güler Ates, James Balmforth, Leni Dothan, Guy Reid, Hannah Habibi

Curators

Dr. Aaron Rosen: KCL theologian,author of Art & Religion in the 21^st Century (2015)

Terry Duffy: Artist with exhibits in London, Paris, Berlin, New York, Cape Town. 

Puff image: Terry Duffy, Victim, No Resurrection?, King's College London Chapel, 1981.