Cross-Currents, Life as Journey, Winter 2024–2025, Canterbury Cathedral. Solo installation curated by Jacquiline Creswell.

A fleet of 300 delicate boats embark on a voyage through the vast architecture of the Cathedral.

Cross-Currents (photo Mud and Thunder)
Cross-Currents (photo Mud and Thunder)

Canterbury Cathedral has for centuries been the focus of pilgrimages and journeys started in hope and faith. Today many of life's journeys start by crossing continents, crossing borders and sea ways in the hope and belief of a new life to be found. Cross-Currents explores themes of pilgrimage, life journeys, and refugee crossings.

Birdboat. Driftwood, lavender branch, seaweed, holly mast (photo Mud and Thunder)
Birdboat. Driftwood, lavender branch, seaweed, holly mast (photo Mud and Thunder)
 
Two young sailors. Driftwood, bark, conker husks, blackthorn, lichen, leaf sails (photo Mud and Thunder)
Two young sailors. Driftwood, bark, conker husks, blackthorn, lichen, leaf sails (photo Mud and Thunder)

Varying in size from 2 meters to 2 centimetres these vessels are intricately constructed from over 100 different kinds of natural material collected from woodland, hedgerow and sea shore. In the imaginative world of the installation, seaweed becomes sails, shells become oars, and masts are made of briar rose, blackthorn or dogwood. Vessels of leaves, bark, driftwood and sea washed bones are guided by starfish. Transient and vulnerable they reflect the fragility of life itself. They seem to travel at different speeds and have different characters, each one intent on its own purpose but united by a common journey.

Basket boat. Found basket fragment, blackthorn, dogwood, seaweed (photo Mud and Thunder)
Basket boat. Found basket fragment, blackthorn, dogwood, seaweed (photo Mud and Thunder)
Pilgrim steps (photo Mud and Thunder)
Pilgrim steps (photo Mud and Thunder)
Cross-Currents (film Mud and Thunder)
Complex shell vessel. Copper plated egg wrack, starry skate egg case, otter shell (photo Mud and Thunder)
Complex shell vessel. Copper plated egg wrack, starry skate egg case, otter shell (photo Mud and Thunder)
 
Vessel in the crypt. Branch, tumbled beach grass, cherry leaves (photo Sam Honey)
Vessel in the crypt. Branch, tumbled beach grass, cherry leaves (photo Sam Honey)
 
Heather and bark vessel. Painted heather, bark (photo Stuart Brock)
Heather and bark vessel. Painted heather, bark (photo Stuart Brock)
 
Seaweed ship. Driftwood, bladderwrack roundel, sugar kelp spiral sails and pennant (photo Krisztian Elek)
Seaweed ship. Driftwood, bladderwrack roundel, sugar kelp spiral sails and pennant (photo Krisztian Elek)
Bean pod vessel. Magnolia seed pod, heather mast, smooth-stalked kelp, maple and cherry leaf hull, oak bark, hazel, blackthorn (photo Mud and Thunder)
Bean pod vessel. Magnolia seed pod, heather mast, smooth-stalked kelp, maple and cherry leaf hull, oak bark, hazel, blackthorn (photo Mud and Thunder)

Workshops

Over 100 boats were made by pilgrims and visitors to the cathedral during the exhibition and placed on the pilgrim steps.

Workshop boats. Over 100 boats were made by pilgrims and visitors to the cathedral during the exhibition and placed on the pilgrim steps (photo Mud and Thunder)
Workshop boats (photo Mud and Thunder)
Cross-Currents workshops conversation (film Mud and Thunder)

In the studio

Cross-Currents under construction. Studio at night
Cross-Currents under construction. Studio at night