Creating more inclusive sanctuary art at Govans Presbyterian Church
Sanctuary Art Dedication
Was held February 9, 10:30 a.m. – Thank you to all who joined us!
Celebrating God’s Call to All
In 2021 Govans Presbyterian Church, a predominantly white congregation that has seen generations of worshippers dating back prior to the Civil War, undertook a reflective self-examination of the church’s heritage and role in racial segregation and discrimination across its more than 180 years of history. A church-appointed Racial Justice Committee found that the church stands on part of a former slave plantation, and that some founders of the church owned enslaved people. After the Civil War, church leaders discussed then rejected the idea of building a segregated church for Black worshipers on the property. A search of records showed no Black members until well into the 20th century.
Currently, the church features nine stained-glass windows depicting biblical figures such as Jesus and Ruth, all interpreted with the Caucasian features typical of the Eurocentric religious iconographic tradition of the 19th and 20th centuries. None of these figures were part of the original church. Robert Cary Long, Jr., noted for bringing the Gothic Revival style to Baltimore, designed the 1844 church with diamond patterned leaded glass panes in gothic-arched windows. A significant expansion in the early 20th century added a bell tower and chancel and soon thereafter sponsors began providing figurative stained-glass windows– fashionable in Baltimore at the turn of the 20th century – including one from the famed Tiffany studio of New York.
Of particular importance is the largest of these figurative windows, Christ the Consoler located to the rear of the church’s chancel, prominently in the front of the church during worship, which was installed around 1905. The image of a dishwater blonde seated Christ offering comfort to a kneeling suppliant is a direct copy of The Consoling Christ, by 19th century German Artist Bernhard Plockhorst, whose work was enormously influential throughout the United States in the late 19th and early 20th century. The window is a memorial to Anna Graeme Turnbull – whose name is prominently inscribed in part of the glass artwork – a founding congregant of the original church who together with her husband owned two enslaved young women.
The Search for a New Iconography of Faith
In January of ’24, with the approval of the Govans ministry and congregation, the Racial Justice Ministry advertised a commission to a Black Baltimore artist to create and display two pieces of art in the church sanctuary to provide racially diverse images in the worship space. In particular, the pieces were intended for permanent placement at the front of the church, behind the pulpit, on either side of the “Christ the Consoler” stained glass window.
The intent of the effort was to create images of people of color in Govan’s worship space to communicate that all are welcome and children of God. To have something visual for people to meditate on during church services, offering a narrative, story, or way of being that is different from the Eurocentric imagery currently in the church. To challenge members to a more expansive view of God and people. To bring a contemporary element into the sanctuary, and to incorporate artwork that is reflective of worship and community.
After careful review of proposals received, the Committee selected Ky Vassor, a Baltimore based mixed media illustrator, muralist, educator, and curator with an emphasis in collaborative community art. Vassor’s work consists of two gothic arched panels titled Sanctuary City Part I & II. The colorful acrylic panels depict fourteen men, women and children. Inspiration for the characters depicted include the Hispanic road workers killed when the Francis Scott Key Bridge collapsed, a late matriarch to the local Chinese-American community and Freddie Gray, a Black man whose 2015 death in police custody sparked demonstrations. The panels are eight-and-a-half feet tall and two-and-a-half feet wide.
According to Vassor, in the development of conceptual art for Sanctuary City Part I & II, the primary focus was uplifting Black and Brown individuals with ties to Baltimore while presenting them as unified and protected. Extensive research was undertaken on Baltimore leaders and various depictions of the idea of “Christ the Consoler” throughout history. Inspiration was drawn from Ary Scheffer’s 1851 rendition, which amplified the voices of those impacted by social injustices. Says Vassor, “Each panel serves to encapsulate Baltimore as a sanctuary city, emanating from the unity and sense of protection between its neighbors.”
The Artist Comments on the Work
When creating “Sanctuary City I & II,” I researched various interpretations of “Christ the Consoler” throughout history and was particularly inspired by Ary Scheffer’s rendition from 1851. The Dutch artist addressed a wide range of social issues at the time, including women’s rights, mothers grieving their children, immigration, Poland’s conflict with Russia, and slavery. The subjective nature and composition of Scheffer’s painting motivated me to explore the under-recognized figures with a connection to Baltimore.
The background of the mural features an excerpt from an archival Baltimore City Road Map (The Automobile Club of Maryland, 1931), highlighting the perimeter of the land where the former Govane plantation was located. The site, which now houses the Govans Presbyterian Church, was found to have once been home to 30 enslaved individuals, as uncovered by researcher Myra Brosius. Their names are inscribed at the top of the mural to honor their contributions to the development of Baltimore and to acknowledge the enduring history of institutional racism.
As I began sketching, I considered the voices of those in Baltimore and beyond who have been most affected by inequity. I thought of the six Latinx highway workers who lost their lives in 2023, as laborers and immigrants are often viewed as unworthy of rights and safety. During the project’s development, I learned about a tragic accident involving a crew of Hispanic and Latinx workers at the Francis Scott Key Bridge. To honor those who lost their lives, I depicted one of the figures with an emblem from the Latino Racial Justice Circle, which combats systemic racial injustice toward the Latinx community. Out of respect for the families of these named community members, I chose to use symbols, rather than literal likenesses, to acknowledge them.
Another significant focus of the mural is police brutality, specifically honoring the legacies of Korryn Gaines and Freddie Gray. The mural prominently features a woman protecting her child on the left panel and a young man reaching upwards on the right panel. Since both Gaines and Gray were victims of state-sanctioned violence, I placed their figures directly beneath the hand of a divine presence, symbolizing shelter from harm. Many advocates in Baltimore have worked to protect their communities by addressing the lasting impacts of slavery and preserving community histories. This includes community leaders and activists like Lillian Kim, Lucille Gorham, and Pauli Murray.
The remaining panels depict everyday neighbors in Baltimore, including a trans woman gently caressing the right arm of the divine entity. Youth are represented throughout both panels to encourage viewers to consider the future of Baltimore. A young man extends his arm toward the original artwork in the sanctuary (left panel), while a girl holds an olive branch and a squeegee (right panel). Each panel encapsulates Baltimore as a sanctuary city, embodying the unity and sense of protection among its neighbors.
The Artwork
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