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Nicola Dale - Between 'Between', Nicola Dale, 2013. Manchester Cathedral's Cathedral on the Street. Image courtesy of the artist. Photo: Steve Iles Nicola Dale ''Between', a sculpture for Manchester Cathedral and Manchester Islamic Centre and Didsbury Mosque Project: The aims for the project, apart from a meaningful engagement with visual art and the artist and the production of a substantial new quality artwork, were to improve opportunities for learning which build understanding and to develop structures and processes which support dialogue and social action. 'Between', a delicate entrance-way and exit, is manifest as two human-sized, wooden archways, each painstakingly decorated, differently, with hand-painted, paper, abstract shapes. Although appearing irregular these shapes are actually doubled, negative spaces contained within photographs of a walk Dale took between the Cathedral and the Mosque. Becoming a physical link between the two places, at each junction on her journey she took a photograph looking one way, towards the Mosque, and then the other, looking towards the Cathedral. Dale's process-based work started with the idea of exploring the notion of passage, as both a journey and a piece of writing. Her attendance at meetings of the study groups of the two 'people of The Book', learning of their faith, their book, their stories and their enquiring minds, led her to select the potent symbol of the arch, as both welcome and farewell, which she revealed as the foundation for her artwork during a walk together in Wythenshawe Park. The two communities also, together, visited the Manchester Gallery's 'First Cut' exhibition (since touring nationally) in which Nicola Dale's work featured and the artist's city centre studio. Comment: Dr. Jacques Rangasamy MBE writes: 'The project is ....... constructed within a third position, not one of independence from the Christian and Muslim positions, but one that can be likened rather to the third point in a triangular rerlationship, not unlike a theorem, that could potentially generate a corporate meaning.' The Catalogue for 'Between' is available from Art and Sacred Places price £7.00. The catalogue includes: A revealing conversation between artist Nicola Dale and project curator Angela Peagram; Articles which range from philosophical reflection to cultural enquiry, and from hope for harmony and peace to encouragement of an honest, appreciative, congregational response by Sheikh Mohammed Saeed Elsaeiti, Imam at the Mosque, the Revd Canon Andrew Shanks, the Cathedral's then Canon Theologian, and Dr Jacques Rangasamy MBE, senior lecturer in visual art at the University of Salford; Plus poetry by the Revd Rachel Mann and Dr Alwyn Marriage. Exhibitions of 'Between' 2nd October to 27th November 2013 Manchester Cathedral and Manchester Islamic Centre and Didsbury Mosque 31st January to 12th March 2014 British Muslim Heritage Centre, Whalley Range, Manchester Opening times: Everyday 14.00 to 18.00 Please ring in advance of your visit: 0161 881 8062 Ext 1 Project funders: Supported using public funding by the National Lottery through Arts Council England and Manchester City Council |