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Imaginative Sculpture Protecting the Sacred Space Foreword by the Dean of Windsor, the Right Reverend David Conner KCVO
The College of St George, a religious fellowship living and working within the walls of Windsor Castle was established 660 years ago. At the centre of the College stands the beautiful St George’s Chapel. It is at the very core of our life. Down through the years, we have always understood our central purpose to be to worship God. It is our vocation to ensure that the Christian spiritual pulse and a sense of accountability to God should be kept alive at the heart of our national institutions. The Dean and Canons of Windsor are committed to the protection and conservation of St George’s Chapel as a legacy for present and future generations. This exhibition gives us an opportunity to share with others one particular project that has revived a 650 year old sculptural tradition. In mediaeval times grotesque sculptures were intended to celebrate the diversity of the secular world and to protect the sacred space by dispelling evil spirits. Surviving mediaeval contracts suggest that these sculptures were conceived as decorative embellishments to enrich the architecture whilst incorporating significant religious symbolism.
Phoenix by Clementine Nuttall