2019
nylon twine
‘Who then can e’er divide us more
from Jesus and his love,
or break the sacred chain that binds
the earth to heaven above?’
from Scottish Paraphrase 48, 1781
Sacred Chain was made during a residency at the Church of Scotland General Assembly, in Edinburgh. Using 150 metres of crocheted chain stitch, the installation visually linked the skylight of a stairwell to the terrazzo flooring, four levels below. The crocheted twine, which moved in the breeze from the open door of the public entrance, had a fragility that belied its strength. Sacred Chain drew attention to the Christan belief that, even in the most uncertain of times, nothing can break the chain of Christ’s love, which binds all people to Him. On each day of the Assembly a performance of Paraphrase 48 added a sonic element to the installation.
