Homelessness Awareness Exhibition Extended at Gloucester Cathedral
The work of acclaimed artists David Tovey and Ralph Brown will now be on display until Sunday 15 April at Gloucester Cathedral. This poignant collection of abstract artwork highlighting homelessness and mental health has received high praise and requests for an extension were met with wholehearted agreement. Lead Artist, David Tovey has previously exhibited work at both the Tate Modern and The Tate Liverpool.
The exhibition entitled ‘My Solitude’ launched on Saturday 10 March 2018 in Gloucester Cathedral Cloister with a hard-hitting preview of work and a talk from David Tovey about his experiences. Formerly homeless, artist David Tovey seeks to raise awareness of contemporary social issues through art. Stark photographs and mixed media pieces are a powerful combination of beauty and hard-hitting reality drawing on the artist’s own personal experiences.
David Tovey’s work has been joined by that of renowned sculptor Ralph Brown (1928-2013). His life-size bronze ‘Clochard’, kindly loaned by Gallery Pangolin, returns to the Cathedral having been displayed as part of the internationally successful Crucible exhibition in 2010. This sculpture depicts a cadaverous figure, asleep or possibly even dead, movingly expressing the plight of the poor in the post-war period, and still has resonance today.
As part of the Cathedral’s community engagement programme the exhibition is a step towards raising awareness around homelessness, particularly bringing attention to The Annual Cloister Challenge that took place this year in Gloucester Cathedral on Friday 23 March.
‘My Solitude’ has further benefited from the support of Gloucester City Mission, Gloucester City Homes, Gallery Pangolin, Gloucester City Library and Discover DeCrypt, who are working collaboratively with the Cathedral to recognize, promote and develop life-changing homelessness support services and activities available across the region.
The Very Revd Stephen Lake, Dean of Gloucester said ‘This exhibition illustrates a powerful story of courage and hope through art. It is vitally important that we all understand the complexities of homelessness and how, as a community, we can welcome and help those in need.’
‘My Solitude’ will be on display in the Cloisters of Gloucester Cathedral 10 March -15 April 2018 during opening hours (9am-5pm with some restrictions for services, please check website for service times).
Explore Gloucestershire
4 April 2018
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