The Beacon of Hope at St Martin in the Bullring
.JPG)
From the 15th to 27th January 2024 outside of St Martin in the Bullring is a temporary stained glass installation called The Beacon of Hope, by Ugandan artist Matt Kayem. It was commissioned by Christian Aid.
From 15-27 January 2024, beaming brightly in the grounds of St Martin in the Bull Ring, Birmingham, our stained-glass style ‘Beacon of Hope’ will create an awe-inspiring spectacle of light and colour with messages of hope to lift everyone’s spirits.
From Blue Monday, the Beacon will illuminate five powerful messages of hope about hunger, equality, health, climate, and injustice.
Each message of hope was brought to life by Ugandan artist, Matt Kayem, from and working in Kampala. Matt’s work explores identity, race, history, and culture through installations, collage-paintings and photography.
Working in his signature style Matt used recycled denim, sourced from the markets of Kampala then stretched onto frames, as the unique canvas for his vivid, colourful creations.
I first saw information about The Beacon of Hope, from this banner on St Martin in the Bullring. I was on the bus on the 12th January 2024 heading to my terminus stop. It tells you that it will be here from the 15th to 27th January 2024.
dndimg alt="Beacon of Hope" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/SMitB%20Beacon%20Hope%2012012024.JPG" style="width: 100%;" />
A few days after the Lord Mayor of Birmingham unveiled The Beacon of Hope, I got a couple of photos of it, shortly after arriving at the Bullring. There is about four stained glass panels. Seen on the 17th January 2024.
dndimg alt="Beacon of Hope" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/Beacon%20of%20Hop%2017012024%20(1).JPG" style="width: 100%;" />
dndimg alt="Beacon of Hope" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/Beacon%20of%20Hop%2017012024%20(2).JPG" style="width: 100%;" />
dndimg alt="Beacon of Hope" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/Beacon%20of%20Hop%2017012024%20(3).JPG" style="width: 100%;" />
dndimg alt="Beacon of Hope" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/Beacon%20of%20Hop%2017012024%20(4).JPG" style="width: 100%;" />
Photography by Elliott Brown