The Way of Life

On one of the walls just inside the entrance to Ely Cathedral there is a large modern sculpture of a cross.

On the North West Transept wall there is a magnificent sculpture called ‘The Way of Life‘ by Jonathan Clarke. One of three sculptures specially commissioned for the millennium, Jonathan Clarke’s The Way of Life is made of cast aluminium and has nine sections, each differently jointed. Like the journey of faith, its path is irregular and unpredictable; and just as the journey is sometimes hard, sometimes joyful, the surface texture and colour also vary. On the top arm you might be able to make out a minute human figure, someone who is perhaps on the journey.

14 Comments CherryPie on Dec 10th 2018

14 Responses to “The Way of Life”

  1. Is there fairly new. To me it a free flowing look at following of Christ.
    Coffee is on

  2. The Yum List says:

    I was surprised to see this modern image.

  3. I am not over keen generally on modern sculpture but the one at Ely is rather beautiful.

  4. Was it beside the main entrance?
    I saw some temporary installation there too.

    • CherryPie says:

      It was beside the main entrance. There wasn’t a temporary exhibition when we visited and the glass museum was closed due to renovation works on the Cathedral. It re-opened a few days after we left…

      • Yes, that’s right! I saw something different there last time.
        Some sort of giant water hose illuminated in blue…
        … too strange to have such thing there, perhaps?

        • CherryPie says:

          That does sound a strange structure that you saw.

          This ‘way of life’ sculpture is one of three sculptures commissioned for the millenium.

  5. lisl says:

    It looks like the river of life, rather than a pathway

  6. Ginnie says:

    River or path, it definitely is symbolic, Cherry, of something we all can recognize!