Deptford X fringe
Pleonasmos at St Paul's Church, http://www.deptfordx.org/programmes
link to Google map
Start date: 27-Jul-2012
End date: 12-Aug-2012
Last Autumn I cut through beside St Paul's church in Deptford High St and was curious to see inside, having stumbled upon the impressive exterior architecture. I was invited in and shown around by the church warden. The Italianate baroque style interior is stunning, a hidden gem, as architect Thomas Archer's style was heavily influenced by Borromini & Bernini.
I am interested in urban spaces that enrich & describe the city's history - a site for telling rich visual tales of lives of London people. I have used derelict & vacated sites for previous installations. The process operates differently set in a living church - it recalls a history of religeous patronage linking architecture, art, patrons & artists.
The Anglo Catholic church uses a style of presentation and ritual in which repetition & reiteration are part of the communication of faith. Repetition & duplication have become a very contemporary means of disseminating information. Often the sheer volume of people in the city requires a constant repetition of information in order to reach those passing through
The installation Pleonasmos takes the form of a processional made up of objects collected & fabricated and illuminated, the processional being part of the service where the congregation rise & circle the church interior during the singing of the first hymn.The fact this church is Anglo Catholic takes it right back to the roots of English worship, yet here the congregation is vibrantly multicultural, making a reading of the use of space entirely contemporary in questions considered through working on this.
