Fitzrovia Chapel

Interior of the restored chapel in September 2017
A view of the elaborate ceiling of the Fitzrovia Chapel.
The baptistery of the Fitzrovia Chapel, London.

The Fitzrovia Chapel is situated in Pearson Square, in the centre of the Fitzroy Place development bordered by Mortimer Street, Cleveland Street, Nassau Street and Riding House Street in Fitzrovia, London. It was originally part of the now demolished Middlesex Hospital, built in 1891 by John Loughborough Pearson, and completed in 1929 by his son Frank Loughborough Pearson after the rest of the hospital was demolished and rebuilt around the chapel. The chapel is a Grade II* listed building. Historic England describes the style as "Italian Gothic". All the internal surfaces are decorated, with much use of polychrome marbles and mosaics.[1][2] The mosaics were completed by Maurice Richard Josey in the 1930s, assisted by his son John L. Josey.

The Fitzrovia Chapel Foundation

The Fitzrovia Chapel is managed by a charity, the Fitzrovia Chapel Foundation. It is a secular chapel and is a venue for non-religious ceremonies such as weddings, civil partnerships, baby namings and memorials. The foundation has a licence from Westminster Council to conduct civil marriages and to supply alcohol.

Artists at the chapel

The chapel is also used by artists, galleries and art organisations for exhibitions. In May 2017, the Horiuchi Foundation presented a series of photographs at the chapel by Tomohiro Muda. The exhibition was called Icons of Time: Memories of the Tsunami that Struck Japan. Richard Ingleby Gallery hosted an exhibition during Frieze London in October 2017. Artists David Batchelor, Jonathan Owen, Kevin Harman and Peter Liversdge were included in it. In July 2017, Erskine, Hall & Coe presented Claudi Casanovas’s Minvant at the chapel. In 2016, the TJ Boulting gallery hosted Stephanie Quayle's Jenga at the Fitzrovia Chapel and in December 2017, Siân Davey's Looking for Alice.

As part of Frieze London 2018, the Stephen Friedman Gallery showed works by Yinka Shonibare MBE at the chapel. The gallery has announced they will present work again at the Fitzrovia Chapel in October 2019. They have chosen the artist Jonathan Baldock. In January 2019, photographer Richard Ansett presented his portrait of the artist Grayson Perry at the chapel. It was called Birth and depicted Perry's alter ego, Claire.

The Fitzrovia Chapel has been used by recording artists including Katie Melua, Allman Brown and the Vickers Bovey Guitar Duo.

Fashion brands have used the chapel as a backdrop to shows, shoots and presentations. These have included Phoebe English, Alistair James, Mother of Pearl, Alighieri and Sharon Wauchob.


The Ward

Leading up to World AIDS Day in 2017, the chapel presented its first exhibition. Called The Ward, it followed the lives of four young men on the Broderip and Charles Bell wards in London’s former Middlesex Hospital. The Broderip was the first AIDS ward in London and was opened by Diana, Princess of Wales in 1987, this year marking the thirtieth anniversary of its opening. The photographer was Gideon Mendel who chronicled the wards in 1993. The exhibition was featured in The British Journal of Photography, Wallpaper, The Guardian, AnOther Magazine and on BBC News. The chapel has announced that its exhibition for November 2019 will focus on the Welsh artist Nina Hamnett. It will be called Nina Hamnett - 'Everybody was Furious'.

Opening times

Each Wednesday between 11:00 and 16:00 the chapel is open to the public for visiting, quiet contemplation and reflection. There is no charge and booking is not required. There are volunteers on hand to answer questions.

Each month the chapel offers an audio presentation called Wireless Contemplation. They are linked to culturally significant themes that are important to the heritage of Fitzrovia. These have included a celebration of Dylan and Caitlin Thomas, Virginia Woolf, Oscar Wilde and Paul Verlaine. It is a chance to sit and reflect out of the distraction of the everyday. Details of these events are on the chapel website.

A detail from an arch at the Fitzrovia Chapel, London

References

  1. ^ Historic England. "Middlesex Hospital Chapel  (Grade II*) (1223496)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 18 July 2016.
  2. ^ Historic England. "Details from listed building database (1223496)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 18 July 2016.

External links

Coordinates: 51°31′08″N 0°08′18″W / 51.5190°N 0.1383°W / 51.5190; -0.1383


This page was last updated at 2019-11-11 23:55 UTC. Update now. View original page.

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