During World War II, a damaged English aircraft crash-landed on the roof of the church in order to avoid the houses in the town, and set it on fire. The church itself was restored, but the choir was separated by a wall from the body of the church and left in ruins until ten years ago.
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Caro was commissioned by the French Ministry for Culture and Communication to make a sculptural installation that would bring new life to the redundant choir.
Specifically for the project he has designed and built two huge oak towers each about 18 feet high. These towers are to be used for musical performances and to allow exploration of the church space. Caro has also made a concrete baptismal font and a spectacular series of steel, wood and terracotta sculptures to fill a series of niches in the walls of the apex of the choir.
Various other sculptures complete the east and west naves, linked through a doorway to a large exterior sculpture in corten steel. The sculptures follow the themes of The Creation (relating to the baptismal font) – culminating in The Paradise Garden. Anthony Caro recognises that this monumental project is an exceptional opportunity for an artist.
He stated, ‘The light in the church is wonderful and it is such a privilege as an artist to be given such an entire space to work with’. Not since Matisse’s Chapel in Vence has another artist been given this opportunity in France.
The Church will be inaugurated on Saturday 11 October 2008 during a weekend of events to include the openings of the three exhibitions in Calais, Dunkirk and Gravelines.
Further information about the project including photographs and a schedule of events can be found at http://www.anthonycaro.org/ under the heading ‘News’.
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