Working with Sophie has been sheer delight throughout the “Sea of Glass” project. At every stage, Sophie has responded with alacrity, clarity and a clearly expressed and robust rationale for her thinking and design. The project was completed on time and to budget and I don’t think there was a single misunderstanding or problem along the way.
Revd Canon Stephen Evans, Rector of St Marylebone Parish church
A Sea of Glass
St Marylebone Parish Church 2024
In the spring of 2023, Sophie was chosen to respond to the challenge of completing John Crompton's 1880's design for the apse. Canon Jeremy Haselock's sermon at the dedication in February 2024 explains the process:
A short list of contemporary artists was drawn up, each with a track record of producing art for sacred spaces, and three of them were invited to submit detailed proposals for what should fill the tympanum space. The brief was simply to supply what the artist thought was missing. All three produced interesting work characterised by a dynamism, a sense of movement, that is perhaps a missing element in Crompton’s rather static panels. Sophie Hacker’s successful proposal stood out for a number of reasons, not least that it was uncompromisingly contemporary while being sensitive to the context in which it was to appear. The confidence placed in Sophie by the selection panel has been rewarded by a finished work far surpassing the initial proposal in quality and suitability for the space. So now, as you see, beneath the heavenly throne is a swirling cosmic sea, a vortex of divine love, drawing into salvation the whole created and uncreated order.
The new work is now installed, and can be viewed whenever the church is open to the public.
In the spring of 2023, Sophie was chosen to respond to the challenge of completing John Crompton's 1880's design for the apse. Canon Jeremy Haselock's sermon at the dedication in February 2024 explains the process:
A short list of contemporary artists was drawn up, each with a track record of producing art for sacred spaces, and three of them were invited to submit detailed proposals for what should fill the tympanum space. The brief was simply to supply what the artist thought was missing. All three produced interesting work characterised by a dynamism, a sense of movement, that is perhaps a missing element in Crompton’s rather static panels. Sophie Hacker’s successful proposal stood out for a number of reasons, not least that it was uncompromisingly contemporary while being sensitive to the context in which it was to appear. The confidence placed in Sophie by the selection panel has been rewarded by a finished work far surpassing the initial proposal in quality and suitability for the space. So now, as you see, beneath the heavenly throne is a swirling cosmic sea, a vortex of divine love, drawing into salvation the whole created and uncreated order.
The new work is now installed, and can be viewed whenever the church is open to the public.
