One of the most famous churches in central London will soon be covered in a mysterious curtain

Taking a stroll down the Strand one evening this winter, you might notice a strange, shimmering cloak draped over one of its most historic landmarks. St Mary-le-Strand Church is marking its 300th birthday this year with a trompe-l'œil that’ll look as though it’s enveloped in a dark glowing curtain. 

Titled ‘Decades’, the digital public artwork is by Manchester-based artist Louise Giovanelli and David Chipperfield Architects and has been inspired by the curtains that feature the remaining working men’s clubs across England. It’ll cover the south-facing façade of the landmark from November 19 to January 18. 

We’re told that ‘the curtain mimics qualities of a pointillist painting, bearing references to painting practice of Giovannelli and the tradition of painted drapery in Italian Renaissance churches’ which the church’s architect James Gibbs would have seen on his study trip to Italy before he to the UK to draw up his designs.

The installation also ‘draws attention to the church’s exposure to air pollution’ by emphasising the two columns that are still stained from the decades that the building spent as a traffic island. It finally got relief from the fumes when the Strand was pedestrianised in 2022. 

The piece was commissioned for Westminster council by Create London, an organisation that brings ‘socially engaged art’ and cultural experiences to the streets of London. Marie Bak Mortensen, its director, said: ‘We are delighted to be working with Louise Giovanelli and Westminster Council on this commission, which aims to make the familiar unfamiliar, providing a new way of connecting audiences across culture and congregation.

‘A key objective of the commission is to create an exciting and visually stimulating experience for visitors while increasing public knowledge of our built heritage. A heritage that is – like today – richly informed and influenced by cultures beyond our own borders. It also cleverly highlights how climate change and a lack of care pose risks to our built environment and all the rich layers of history it contains.’

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