Church exhibit proves thought-provoking

The striking sculpture hanging in St Anne’s Church, Royton, is viewed by, from left to right: Jennifer and Stewart Barker, and church warden Sylvia Coppock.

PROUD Jennifer Barker pulled off a masterstroke for her church when she talked Gallery Oldham into loaning a striking sculpture.

Arthur Dooley’s “Dachau” is now pride of place at St Anne’s Church, Royton, and the church is throwing open its doors to anyone who wants to see it.

The larger than life-size ragged figure of the crucified Christ caught Jennifer's eye when she visited a Dooley exhibition at the art gallery.

“I thought it was absolutely heartstopping. It made such an impression on me I kept going back to gaze at it, and I overheard a young lad say to his friends ‘you know what really got me - that crucifix.’

“It’s made of twisted metal and it really made me think about human suffering,” she said.

Jennifer discovered the Dachau sculpture was due to go back among the cobwebs in the storeroom after the exhibition unless a home could be found for it.

“Our church is celebrating its centenary, and I thought it would be wonderful if we could have it,” she said.

Jennifer, who is a member of the pastoral team, embarked on a mission with her church warden husband, Stewart, to persuade all the relevant authorities it was a good idea.

She said: “We had to jump through hoops, but we got permission to have it for four years. It’s fantastic.”

The sculpture has now been installed in the St Anne’s Avenue church for all to see, and a series of open days are planned for members of the public to take a look.

Jennifer said: “We will welcome people of all faiths and from all communities.”

The first open day be on Wednesday, March 24 (7pm) when the sculpture will be dedicated by Bishop Mark Davies.

Congratulating Jennifer on pulling off a major coup for the church, the Rev James Read, said: “It’s very dramatic and striking.

“We would like people to come and look at it, and we also hope to ask people who suffered in Dachau and other concentration camps to tell us their story.

“It will be used as a spiritual resource. It focusses on the reality of human suffering and I am looking forward to spending quite a bit of time over the coming years gazing at it and meditating on it.”

He added: “In many ways it’s an object of great beauty. It speaks of God's love, mercy, and humanity and shows what human beings can do to each other.”

The sculpture is sited in front of the minstrel's gallery, to the right of the congregation.

Rev Read explained: “We didn’t want it to dominate the church. It’s in a position where people can look at it if they choose to.”

Dachau, one of several works by Liverpool-born sculptor Dooley owned by Gallery Oldham, was created as a memorial to human suffering and was first shown in Oldham in 1968.