The Cathedral Church of St. John the Evangelist, Salford. Photograph by David Dixon (CC BY-SA 2.0)
Oldham, September 2, 2022, 1:28 a.m. (CNA).
The Diocese of Salford, United Kingdom, has reaffirmed its commitment to maintaining and safeguarding a historic Catholic painting in a church, in response to growing worries over the artwork’s survival due to the fear of vandalism.
The UK Government has accorded Grade II listed status to the artwork that was made in 1955 by George Mayer-Martin, a Hungarian Jew who sought asylum in the UK after the expansion of Nazism. The renowned sculpture shows Christ’s crucifixion and is at the Church of the Holy Rosary in Oldham, United Kingdom.
The church was closed in 2017, leaving the mural susceptible to degradation and vandalism, as stated by the Catholic Church in England and Wales in August 2022.
Local councilors have sent a public letter expressing their concern that the artwork is in danger owing to antisocial activity, and they have requested that the mural be relocated to Gallery Oldham by the local council and Salford Diocese.
According to a report by Quest Media Network, councillors Dan Costello, Luke Lancaster, and Max Woodvine wrote in a letter: “We write as three Catholic Councillors sitting on the Oldham and Tameside Councils to express our growing concern regarding the future of the mural currently housed in Holy Rosary Church in the Medlock Vale Ward of Oldham, which is threatened by vandalism.
“This socially and historically significant mural is currently listed as Grade II… Historic England has recognized the significance of this artwork and requested immediate action to preserve its survival. Therefore, I want your assistance in safeguarding and maintaining this significant and unique part of our past.”
A representative for the Diocese of Salford told Catholic News Agency, “We appreciate the councillors’ interest in the mural, and we look forward to meeting with them and council leaders in the near future to discuss their idea in further detail.”
“We are dedicated to preserving this significant work and are actively working with all interested parties to determine the best way to preserve the mosaic’s history for future generations to enjoy.”
“Despite the security measures put in place to protect the facility, we have seen some antisocial behavior and some property damage in recent weeks. Additional security measures have been implemented and are being evaluated every day.”
In the 1930s, George Mayer-Marton was a prominent artist in Vienna, but he was compelled to emigrate to the United Kingdom after Austria’s annexation in 1938.
The Catholic church commissioned ‘The Crucifixion’ in 1955, and it is one of Mayer-two Marton’s remaining religious paintings.
Oldham’s mural. Europa Nostra / Flickr (CC BY-NC-SA 2.0)
The latest suggestion by Historic England to grant the painting special status is an important step toward establishing its reputation.
According to their report on the mural, “The mural is highly unusual and possibly one-of-a-kind in this country for its striking aesthetic combination of neo-baroque mosaic and modern, Cubist-influenced fresco inventively applied to traditional Christian iconography in a deeply personal evocation of suffering and redemption.”