UK
The first ever collaboration between an English cathedral and The National Gallery has resulted in an incredible, ground-breaking exhibition focusing on a magnificent 16th century Flemish altarpiece.
Sensing the Unseen: Step into Gossaert’s ‘Adoration of the Kings’ is The National Gallery’s first immersive touring exhibition and is at Winchester Cathedral until 3rd April.
Sensing the Unseen: Step into Gossaert’s ‘Adoration of the Kings’ is showing at Winchester Cathedral until the 3rd April. PICTURE: Supplied.
Alison Evans, chief operating officer at Winchester Cathedral, said she was “delighted” Winchester Cathedral will be the first venue to host what she called a “hugely engaging” exhibition from The National Gallery.
Alison Evans, chief operating officer at Winchester Cathedral. PICTURE: Supplied.
“We want as many people as possible to come and experience this new way of looking at art where, with the help of digital technology, visitors feel they are transported into Jan Gossaert’s painting.”
In late 2020, Evans heard about the exhibition at The National Gallery, which had aroused rave reviews, and felt it would be ideal for the cathedral. The National Gallery agreed.
Dr Gabriele Finaldi, National Gallery director said Sensing the Unseen “offers the opportunity to immerse in deep and rich story it tells and the artistry that made it” and added that the gallery was delighted it was going on the road to Winchester Cathedral as the gallery’s first ever touring digital exhibition.
“We had to redesign the exhibition so that there was a completely new way of experiencing the painting.” she said. “In the gallery, it had been located in one room so there was no problem with surround sound. In a Cathedral, that would not be possible, so we had to create an alternative.”
Located in the north transept of the cathedral, the exhibition space contains free standing yurt-like pods on either side of the massive facsimile painting spot-lit against a black backcloth.
Inside the pods, there is a screen featuring a digital image of the painting, which has been ‘sonified’ using a soundscape comprising ambient sound, spoken word and music accessible via headphones. Interactive digital imagery takes visitors into the world of the painting to discover previously unseen elements in forensic detail.
“You see the hair on the dog, the wart on the face of Caspar, the details on the textiles,” explained Evans. “You hear a dog barking, the click of horses hooves, people murmuring, a dog chewing a bone and the voice of Balthazar talking about the journey.”.
She added that the facsimile painting itself is “extremely realistic and accurate”.
“The senior curator was surprised by the quality of the images and you can actually see the depth of paint on it. The main difference is that the depth of the varnish is not quite the same. It is as big as the original, on a National Gallery frame, backed with oak boards, and is 150 kilograms in weight.”
The pods at ‘Sensing the Unseen: Step into Gossaert’s ‘Adoration of the Kings’’ in Winchester Cathedral. PICTURE: Supplied.
As the pod experience lasts only 15 minutes, Winchester Cathedral added a supplementary exhibition nearby.
“We recognised that some visitors are not Christians, so we set out to explain the story, and the way in which the altarpiece links Italian painting with Flemish painting styles,” Evans said. “Gossaert had been to Italy and brought back the idea of perspective, and was working with it but not always getting it right. It is at the crossroads between two styles.
“We also have examples of fabrics such as leather and damask. We show how they represented wealth, as they were the pricey fabrics of the time. The final section involves 12 models wearing liturgical vestments, showing what our clergy wear at different times of the year.”
The exhibition also has an education element involving students studying for a masters degree in artistic management at Winchester University, and children from the nearby Winchester College who are acting as volunteer guides, and creating a short video.
National and international audiences are being targeted by a series of online talks about the painting, about textiles and the way they are represented as well as the altarpieces of Florence and Rome.
