Gloucester Cathedral will host a poignant collection of abstract artwork in an exhibition highlighting homelessness and mental health. The artist, David Tovey has previously exhibited work at both the Tate Modern and The Tate Liverpool.
The exhibition entitled ‘My Solitude’ launches on Saturday 10 March 2018 in Gloucester Cathedral Cloister and will run until Friday 30 March. 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 will be 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, 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 which takes 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.’
The public are invited to join a special, free launch event, including a talk by David Tovey about how his life experiences have inspired others and been represented in his art.
‘My Solitude’ will be on display in the Cloisters of Gloucester Cathedral 10-30 March 2018. The exhibition will be launched by David Tovey at 2pm – 4pm on Saturday 10 March, with light refreshments on arrival, followed with a talk by the artist. This is a free event, however, spaces should be booked in advance to guarantee a seat. Contact Helen Jeffrey, Community Engagement Manager to secure your space: 01452 229838
