Durham City from Frankland Lane.
Semi abstract digital. For me this distant image of the cathedral and city reminds me of one of the many views pilgrims first encountered, and still do. These spots of first sight of it gave the name 'Salutation' to the topographical positions, as pilgrims fell to their knees in awe of the sight and of God. The Cathedral and the City has been so well used as a subject for magnificence and beauty by artists over the years. Recently, however, attempts have been made to convey its image abstractly by a few artists. For me there have been three socially powerful architectural images in Durham City - the Victorian prison, the law courts and the castle and cathedral.The visual image of each was a clear reminder to the population of the power of the State and the Church and the need for social order in less than ordered times - 'ignore it at your peril'. So, for me, these are images of social control - although not so powerful today as they were in the past.
About the Artist
Michael Mcmanus
I was born in 1946. In the 1960s and part of the 70s I was an airman in the Royal Navy, Fleet Air Arm. I joined Durham Constabulary in 1971. In 1999 I retired from policing and began teaching sociology and criminology at Durham University with emphasis on policing and researching crime. I am drawn…
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