It may not seem obvious that a building as grand as Liverpool Cathedral can feel familiar to visitors. However, the Cathedral’s message is one that can resonate with everyone – a place where all can come to know a God that makes them feel loved and seen. It may seem as though this message is only applicable to some, but love is uniquely experienced by all. This story will be an exploration of the various forms of love, and their connection to faith, highlighted through the Cathedral’s art collection.
The theme of love for a place considered home is contemplated in David Sheppard‘s Liverpool Cathedral – Spring Morning (1980), where the magnificence of the Cathedral, and by extension Liverpool, is accurately captured. A former England cricketer before dedicating himself to the Anglican Church, Sheppard was Bishop of Liverpool from 1975 to 1997.
Sheppard made a huge impact on the city, working closely with the Roman Catholic Archbishop of Liverpool, Derek Worlock, to improve Anglican-Catholic relations. He was an avid campaigner for issues of poverty and social reform in inner cities and worked with Archbishop Warlock to tackle them.
Sheppard’s role as Bishop was not a figurehead position – he was considered by many to be a guardian for Liverpool. He offered his love and help not only to those that were religious or part of the church but to people of all backgrounds. The love evident within this work is not limited to a religious context but instead presents a universal message of hope we should take on ourselves as part of communities.
Thus, this artwork is demonstrating two understandings of love. The first – seen in a work such as The Dean Leading Service – is love felt by being a part of a community.
Liverpool Cathedral – Spring Morning explores this in a wider sense regarding the city being home for many people. The second understanding of love is to share love with others as it has been shared with us. Both can be viewed within a religious context through a church community, but it can also apply to a wider context of Liverpool as showcased by this work.
In contrast, the Cathedral’s collection also exhibits some more classically religious messages of love. The works of Christopher Le Brun, who was elected to the Royal Academy in 1996 and was President from 2011 to 2019, were inspired by well-known parables from the Bible.
This large-scale painting portrays the biblical story of the Good Samaritan. In brief, a man travelling from Jerusalem is attacked, his clothes stolen and left for dead. Two passers-by avoid helping, but then a good Samaritan stops to help and take care of him.
Jesus told this parable to teach his followers what it means to ‘love thy neighbour as yourself’ – in other words, treat others how you would like to be treated. Although this story exists in a religious context as a way of living how God intended, its message goes beyond this context. So, despite usually being a religious teaching, that some may feel out of touch with, the message of love in this story is one that can resonate with everyone.
Following this, Tracey Emin‘s For You presents a similar kind of message that is usually seen in the Church, but all can relate. This is an unconventional work as it is a pink neon light installation of the artist’s handwriting reading: ‘I Felt You And I Know You Loved Me’.
This unique work represents Emin’s own experience and feelings towards the Church as a place of contemplation. Her intention was to create a work about love and the sharing of love. A combination of contemplation and love contributes to this works resonance, alongside the positioning of the work over the main doors of the Cathedral. These aspects work together to provide the time and space for people to contemplate their own feelings of love.
Therefore, although this work may be representative of Emin’s own views towards the Church, her work offers others the same opportunity to contemplate their own feelings of love, whether it relates to the church or not, as all are equally important to reflect on.
Other works in the collection also provide a perspective on the connection between faith and love when looking at their context. The first work that presents this view is Icon of the Cross by Ludmila Pawlowska.
Pawlowska is a Kazakh-born artist, now based in Sweden, taking inspiration from the classical Russian icons that were a part of her childhood church experience. She turned to painting these symbols to help her through the sudden death of her mother. This work depicts her feelings of despair and existentialism following this tragedy simultaneously symbolising her love for the lost parent.
The message of love is encapsulated in her desire to create something divine – the work uses the medium of religious icons, giving it an obvious connection to faith. Although initially it may seem to be an exclusively religious work, the story behind its creation is one of love and loss for Pawlowska – she has turned towards something familiar and divine to help her struggle. The style of the work is unusual for icon depictions – both the painting of a cross on a wooden box as well as the use of copper, bringing in a sculptural aspect.
A similar message is seen in the story of how this next artwork was created. Although perhaps an unlikely duo, sculptor Arthur Dooley and embroiderer Ann McTavish were commissioned to produce a work for the Cathedral. The artwork is made up of two parts, a gold sculpture of Jesus with his arms extended complemented by a black and golden tapestry behind.
Dooley was a Liverpool-born and based artist who produced numerous works, some being iconic to Liverpool, such as The Resurrection of Christ (or the Black Christ) in Toxteth and Four Lads Who Shook the World on Matthew Street.
He lived a very interesting life being a self-taught sculptor, serving as a colonel with the Palestine Liberation Organisation, and joining the Irish Guards as a bagpiper.
In 1994 Dooley passed away before he could finish his part of the commission for the cathedral. McTavish had already completed her component for the piece and was determined to finalise the artwork. So, the artist and Dooley’s mother searched through his sculptures to find one that would appropriately complement her work and his original vision for the piece.
McTavish is not from Liverpool, but she studied there. She aimed for her works to transcend time and become heirlooms for the future. I believe she has done just that with the beauty of Redemption and her determination to complete Dooley’s contribution on his behalf.
Yet again, this is a work that on the surface seems strictly to do with faith but the message of love shines through its story. The love is shown through friendship and the message of going out of your way for a friend so that they may still gain the appreciation and recognition they deserve.
My personal experience with churches, and the Cathedral in particular, has always been characterised by a warm and welcoming environment. They reflect the first thematic aspect of a love for others which I see demonstrated in the collection through its consideration of other personal experiences of this shared feeling. I also believe the inclusive aspect of the Cathedral’s collection, shown by a range of mediums, artists and topics, can offer love in the form of hope and contentment for all visitors who may walk through its doors.
Pia Ortone – Arts and Culture Intern at Liverpool Cathedral
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