As the community files into choir for the singing of the Liturgy, the Portress of Choir offers holy water on the tip of a brush to the Superior, who leads the procession (an old monastic custom).
Anne Noble, Artist
This is one of the
photographs
in our collection.
It was made in
Tyburn, London, England, Great Britain
in 1988.
See full details
Object Detail
About the Work
From
the
series
of
56
photographs"In
the
presence
of
Angels-
Photographs
of
Contemporary
life"
."Two
primary
raw
materials
of
photography,
time
and
light,
also
happen
to
be
two
concepts
central
to
the
monastic
life.
Anne
Noble's
series
captures
the
reality
inhabited
by
the
Benedictine
nuns
of
Tyburn
Convent,
near
the
centre
of
London,
and
also
illuminates
the
photo-artist's
own
practice.
Nobles
exposures
reflect
the
nuns'
preoccupation
with
transcending
the
materiality
and
temporality
of
existence.
In
a
catalogue
essay,
to
the
1989
Sarjeant
Gallery
touring
exhibition,
Mother
M.
Xavier
McMonagle
describes
her
monastic
vocation
as
a
"spiritual
dance
between
time
and
eternity".
Photography
is,
in
its
own
way,
also
a
dance
or
transaction
between
time
and
timelessness.
Its
objective,
like
the
liturgical
life,
can
be
"to
sanctify
time
and
all
human
activity".
Gregory O'Brien, 1989
Gregory O'Brien, 1989
This record represents a work in a series and has related works.
Measurements
Support H134 x W199mm
Image H128 x W193 mm
Frame 482 x 585 x 20mm
Image H128 x W193 mm
Frame 482 x 585 x 20mm
Media
Silver toned gelatin photograph
Description
Black and white image of a group of nuns with black habits filing past the photographer so their forms are slightly blurred, which another nun with white habit is standing nearby with eyes closed, holding a pen and wearing glasses, next to a wall hung bell.
Credit Line
On long term loan to the Sarjeant Gallery Te Whare o Rehua Whanganui
Collection Type
Loans
Collection
Acquisition Date
1991
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Artist:
Nationality:
Accession Number:
L1991/23/11