For Christmas 2024 the artist Bruce Munro, has kindly donated his creation “Star of Bethlehem” to be exhibited in St Michael’s Church, Mere in Wiltshire. This is part of The Tower Stories community programme which also marks the recent restoration of St Michael’s Church tower.
This piece has only been exhibited once before in 2014. It was originally commissioned by Salisbury Cathedral. Bruce’s star of Bethlehem is a literal and visual abstraction of the text from the New Testament, Matthew 2:1-12, telling the story of the wise men following a star to find baby Jesus, the Messiah, translated into Morse code and communicated through a series of dots and dashes, or short and longer pulses of light.
This animation of radiating lines of light will be projected on to the nave floor, in front of the rood screen of St Michael’s and grows to its fullest extent in 2 mins 20 sec, the light flows over the floor bathing all around it in light. The biblical text scrolls along each point of the star.
The Star of Bethlehem will be exhibited at St Michael’s from December 6th – January 5th. There is no charge for entry. The Church is open every day between 9.00am until nightfall. On Sundays’ viewing is extended until 8.00pm.
NOTES
British artist Bruce Munro [bio] is best known for immersive large-scale light-based installations inspired largely by his interest in shared human experience. Recording ideas and images in sketchbooks has been his practice for over 40 years. By this means he has captured his responses to stimuli such as music, literature, science, and the world around him for reference, reflection, and subject matter. This tendency has been combined with a liking for components and an inventive urge for reuse, coupled with career training in manufacture of light. As a result Munro produces both monumental, temporary experiential artworks as well as intimate story-pieces.
Set in the sleepy, Wiltshire countryside, the Bruce Munro Studio employs a team of 16 who have a mixed set of skills ranging from Sculpture, Fine art, Interior architecture, Surface design, Audio visuals, Electronics, Accounts and Marketing. Working closely with Bruce, the team assist in helping Bruce bring his sketch books and visions to life. Our highly skilled team also assist and manage the installation of Bruce’s work, all over the world.
IMAGES © 2024 Bruce Munro. All rights reserved. Photography by Mark Pickthall.
2 The Tower Stories is administered by the Friends of St Michael’s Church. In August 2023 The National Lottery Heritage Fund awarded the Friends £247,000 to undertake two programmes of work. The first to restore the Church Tower which was completed in May 2023. The second to undertake a series of practical and creative events to involve and enrich the Mere community through its heritage. Bruce Munro’s ‘Star of Bethlehem’ is just one of a variety of themes Tower Stories which will run throughout the first six months of 2025.
