The singing of the Divine Office, (let nothing come before the Work of God - Rule of St Benedict), is the primary work of the Tyburn community. Seven times a day the community processes into the sanctuary for the hours of Nocturnes, Lauds, Terce, Sext, None, Verspers and Compline. The entire Psalter is chanted each week in English, to music composed by the sisters. The purpose of this liturgy, to sanctify time and all human activity will be achieved in our community...(M foundress 1901)
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 H147 x W210mm
Image H126 x W190mm
Frame 482 x 585 x 20mm
Image H126 x W190mm
Frame 482 x 585 x 20mm
Media
Silver toned gelatin photograph
Description
The left half of this black and white image of an interior of a church is obscured with dark cloth. At the right of the image are nuns standing holding their hymnals and singing.
Credit Line
On long term loan to the Sarjeant Gallery Te Whare o Rehua Whanganui
Collection Type
Loans
Collection
Acquisition Date
1991
Share
Artist:
Nationality:
Accession Number:
L1991/23/13