The Way of the Cross charts graffitied crosses in Scottish cities. Marked in ink, chalk, pencil and nail polish, scratched into wood and stone or drawn with a finger into the grime of a telephone box window, they can be found at the thresholds to tenement flats, on the side of bins, or positioned with a graphic and sometimes comic eye, riding upon graffiti tags or in direct conversation with the peeling fabric of the city’s walls.
It borrows its title from Via Dolorosa, The Way of Sorrow, an ancient devotional route in Jerusalem’s Old City that rises in the Muslim quarter and ends at the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, and which is believed to mark moments in the passion and crucifixion of Jesus: where he was condemned to death; took up the cross; consoled his weeping mother; and is eventually stripped and nailed to the cross. It is a profound story of sacrifice and ritualised public humiliation, kindness and cruelty, vulnerability and strength, fear and acceptance.
Photographer, Stephen Deazley grew up in a Belfast Catholic household in a culture rich with icons and biblical imagery, and while he is not, these days, religious in any way, he finds these crosses and the mark making very moving, akin more to private meditations than public declarations of faith. They speak to him of loneliness and affirmation in equal measure and reveal part of a city’s untold story. Collecting them has become a meditation, a ritual of walking, noticing, and bearing witness to those who made them and to the moments in time when they were made.
“You ignore graffiti at your peril. It’s the heartbeat of a city. It’s the voice of the voiceless.”
Terry Pratchett
Stephen Deazley is perhaps better known across Scotland as a choir director, music educator and composer, whose work enables communities and people of all ages to participate in inspirational music making. This is his first public exhibition.
10% of profits on sales will be donated to Simon Community Scotland, providing safe places and support for people experiencing, or at risk of homelessness.
Where possible we will update our listings to notify of cancelled, postponed and rescheduled events, however we STRONGLY ADVISE that you check with the venue/organiser in the first instance for updates.
All information (whether in text or photographs) is supplied in good faith but should not be relied upon as being a statement of representation or fact.GOT AN EVENT TO SHARE? It's free to post your events on What's On Edinburgh, click here to find out more!
Want to be the first to hear about what's happening in Edinburgh? Just hit 'Like' on our Facebook page, join the What's On Scotland Facebook Group and 'Follow' on our Twitter account and you're all set!This exhibition at Upright Gallery brings together Ros Lawless & Charles Young, two artists whose interest lies in the built environment - both real and imagined.
READ MOREJoin us on Thursdays at The Palace of Holyroodhouse for a short talk on one of the fascinating photographs in our exhibition Royal Portraits: A Century of Photography!
READ MOREHelter Skelter, the first solo exhibition by Leith-based artist, Pauly Pocket, is showing at Sett Studios from 30th May to 1st June.
READ MOREFrom heroin to gambling, from alcohol to love, explore the history of addiction at Hooked, an exhibition at the Physicians' Gallery.
READ MOREMorningside Gallery will exhibit work from some of the city’s youngest artists, showcasing the entries from a dog-themed drawing and painting competition.
READ MOREThis exhibition at Upright Gallery brings together Ros Lawless & Charles Young, two artists whose interest lies in the built environment - both real and imagined.
READ MOREJohn Bellany: A Life in Self-Portraiture captures the span of an extraordinary life and career, told through the lens of the artist’s own eyes and the words of the people who knew him best.
READ MOREEXPOSED 25 is more than just a display of technical skill; it's a celebration of creativity, resilience, and the power of visual storytelling by Edinburgh College's graduating photography class.
READ MOREJoin Cramond Heritage Trust and hear about the Scottish Iron Industry in the 18th and 19th Century on this walk down to Cramond on 7th June!
READ MOREThis exhibition at the Scottish Storytelling Centre celebrates the creativity and resilience of unpaid carers across the Lothians!
READ MORE