News / Bristol cathedral
Cathedral announces artist for ‘major’ new permanent artwork
Bristol Cathedral has confirmed the addition of a new artwork honouring Bristol’s marginalised voices.
Joseph Ijoyemi, a Swedish-Nigerian artist whose work centres around heritage and social identity, has been selected by Bristol Cathedral to produce the new permanent installation.
The artwork has been commissioned in response to the Cathedral’s existing memorial window for Edward Colston.
The artwork will interact with the Cathedral’s Colston window – photo: Cerys Larsen
Ijoyemi’s piece, titled Let There Be Light, will honour Bristol’s African and Afro-Caribbean communities, celebrating their resilience, cultural traditions and contributions to the city.
On being selected for the project, the artist said: “As an artist, Let There Be Light brings together my faith and my practice.
“It is about shining light on Black history in Bristol, holding space for truth and reflection and thinking about how we move forward with care for future generations.”
The piece will sit alongside the existing Colston artwork, with aims to more accurately reflect the city’s history.
Bristol Cathedral hopes the new artwork will mark “a significant step in the Cathedral’s continuing work to engage openly with its history and to reflect the diversity of the city it serves.”
Main photo: Bristol Cathedral and Joseph Ijoyemi
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