Peter Burke ‘ Earthworks’ @ Southwark Cathedral
Exhibition Dates: 10 Feb – 25 Mar, 2016
Location: Southwark Cathedral, London

Artist Talk with Peter Burke Sunday 28 Feb at Southwark Cathedral after the Choral Eucharist.

For the second consecutive year, Andipa and Southwark Cathedral have teamed up for Southwark’s annual Lent Installation, a curated exposé of artworks that inspire us during this time of sacrifice, reflection and humanity. This year, British artist and sculptor Peter Burke presents ‘Earthworks’, a site-specific installation from his collection of representational sculptures using bonded earth.

Southwark Cathedral is one of the most beautiful gothic churches in London, situated within a rich historical area. It is the mother church of the Anglican Diocese of Southwark and has been a place of Christian worship for over 1000 years. The site where the present cathedral stands was occupied by the convent of Augustinian between 1106 -1538 where after, following the dissolution of the Monasteries, it became a parish church.

Lent is one of the key times in the church’s calendar, and aims to make visitors reflect and learn from their own experiences. Art and spirituality share a historic connection and synergy that make them both complimenting and deeply related. The earliest art was primarily used in religious ritual and ceremonial practice. Recognising the importance of this connection, Southwark Cathedral began their annual Lent Installation project in 2012.

Peter Burke’s ‘Earthworks’ is relevant at this time of year, focusing on creation, and the very earth beneath our feet. Burke’s skilfully crafted hands, feet, faces and torsos remind us of the ‘earthy’ nature that we share. His artworks are a meditation on the relationship between people, their sense of place and the earth as a universal element.

All the works in this installation were created using soils collected from within a 20 mile radius from the artists home in Bradford on Avon, and evoke a rich association with the local underlying geology, history and culture.

The exhibition will run from Ash Wednesday, 10th February until Good Friday, 25th March, welcoming all members of the Public for free.