PRESS RELEASE
About “Saint_Paul’s Cathedral”
In June 2009 I already started making watercolors and photographs in the park of St-Paul’s. I was asked to work with the outside of the cathedral in the 21th century. So I had to feel and inhale the character of the church itself and discovered its immense beauty and details: sculptures and forms and always changing colors or the natural stones. From then on I worked there regularly. The cathedral is a fantastic building a masterpiece, where all the details are of extraordinary quality. In 51 local London churches Christopher Wren exercised for the final construction and ornamental details before he brought them together in St-Paul’s itself.
To avoid the disappearing of some views by high buildings in the future I painted the cathedral from different perspectives and from all sides so witnessing, still existing views of the 21th century.
The changing of color of the natural stone caused by the weather was fascinating and went from rose to gray to glorious white which brought different possibilities for different paintings with a different meaning. Because I always work in a symbolic way, the cathedral became a sign of beauty, spirituality, movement, joy and dark days. (Heights and depths). My work very often predicts the future. Here it seems to have been the case after what happened in London in this year.Some titles like: Still dominating : overwhelming the rest. In competition: view to the Tate modern has also the meaning from contrast between old and modern times.Roman Poetry: symbol of the past and connection to the history. Silent companion,(in rose), a recognizable place where people return and are attached too. Still dominating: watercolor. Natural and artificial beauty. In our time nature is more and more replaced by creations of human beings. There is very little nature left. It is worth thinking about it. Like them (Chinese lovers ) It is a memorable place for visitors from all over the world and young people pose like the sculptures behind them in the surrounding. My work is to think about, not just to see. Height and depth, symbol for human life. The inside who was not meant to be painted, gave interesting contrasts of public and performers. Singers like little spirits brought life into the church.
Up to the air : giving a spiritual dimension, universal accent in all my work.
All the art works were made to celebrate the 300 anniversary of completions of St-Paul’s cathedral, by Christopher Wren, some exhibited in the crypt and opened by the right honorable Lord Mayor of London Alderman Nick Anstee on the 20 September 2010.
© Gabriëlla Cleuren