Monsignor Hawes Heritage Centre

Dolor, Spes, Sanatio, Redemptio

Site: Monsignor Hawes Heritage Centre, Geraldton Cathedral of St Fancis Xavier
Location: Geraldton, Western Australia
Client: The Roman Catholic Bishop of the Diocese of Geraldton
Architect: John Taylor Heritage Architect
Builder: Crothers Construction
Public Art Coordinator: Fr Robert Cross

This triptych is an ecclesial artwork that is the entrance statement in the foyer of the new Geraldton museum dedicated to the life and significant works of Monsignor John Cyril Hawes (1876-1956).

The artwork is informed by four inter-related themes - sorrow which begets hope, begets healing, begets redemption. Hawes architectural expression of sorrow was instructive to our approach; in the Geraldton Cathedral’s Chapel of Our Lady of Sorrows, he seemed to respond deeply to the crisis of grief of the world’s first global war and this formed the basis of the exploration for relevant artwork elements.

The composition uses multiple layers that blend digitised images of technical drawings and artwork by Monsignor Hawes, photography by Anton Blume and contemporary Aboriginal paintings by Bonni Ingram; it is based on the Rood Triptych form favoured by Monsignor Hawe style often created by him. All the artwork elements are selected highlights of Monsignor Hawes lived experience during his years in Western Australia – his profound Franciscan spirituality and dedicated vocation as priest and architect.

Artists: Anton Blume, Bonni Ingram, Sabrina Dowling Giudici

Art Producer: Sabrina Dowling Giudici