Stephen Deazley’s The Way of the Cross at Upright Gallery, Edinburgh

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.

Hanover Street by Stephen Deazley

In a time when environmental crises and restrictive policies challenge our freedoms, Deazley’s exhibition underscored the deep connection between our surroundings and community well-being. His art prompts viewers to imagine a world where our environments foster growth, dignity, and perhaps even soulfulness.

The exhibition 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.

One piece that particularly resonated with me was Melville Terrace. This striking work featured a “Danger of Death - Keep Off” sticker affixed to a graffiti-painted artex wall. The familiar black triangle and figure struck down by a vicious arrow served as a stark reminder of the restrictions imposed on us by urban spaces. Yet the vibrant graffiti - itself adorned with a simple crucifix - spoke of defiance and human presence, a reminder that our environments must support our right to thrive — not just physically but emotionally and spiritually as well.

Melville Terrace by Stephen Deazley

Stephen Deazley, perhaps better known across Scotland as a choir director; music educator and composer, grew up in a Belfast Catholic household in a cuture rich with icons and bilical imagery. Whilt he is not, these days, religious in any way, he finds these crosses and mark making very moving, akin more to private meditations than public declarations of faith.

Deazley’s works invited reflection on the physical, psychological, and even spiritual dimensions of our environment.  A beautiful exhibition and a mindful experience.

10% of profits on the sale will be donated to Simon Cummunity Scotland, providing safe places and support for people experiencing, or at risk of homelessness.

https://www.simonscotland.org/

Upright Gallery, 3 Barclay Terrace, Edinburgh, EH10 4HP until 26th January 2025.

https://www.uprightgallery.com/subcribe.html