‘Once a Sea’ is a large scale sound, light and projection installation created specifically for the interior space of St Mary’s Church in Portsmouth.

This new work by artists Heinrich & Palmer imaginatively explores the area, site and materiality of the architecture of St Mary’s from the perspective of deep, geological time. Using a fusion of archival imagery, time-lapse photography, high-speed film, microscopy, photogrammetry and 3D laser scans of St Mary’s Church, ‘Once a Sea’ takes the viewer on an infinitesimal journey through time and space.

The title of the work alludes to a period over 35 million years ago when Portsmouth was covered by warm shallow sea and the older fossilized marine life that makes up the chalk and flint cliffs of Portsdown Hill was a deep ocean.

The area around St Mary’s was once the highest part of Portsea Island and one of the first pieces of land to emerge from the retreating water. The present day building, standing on one of the oldest church sites of the island, is built from flint and concrete, materials derived from fossilized sea life.

Today as we face the challenges of global warming and rising sea levels it is not so difficult to imagine a time in the future when the island of Portsea will once again return to the sea.

‘Once a Sea’ is a reflection upon the impermanence of life within the context of Portsmouth, St Mary’s Church and deeper time.

To develop the work the artists have drawn on archival imagery assisted by the church community and Portsmouth History Centre.  The University of Portsmouth has provided technical support for elements of the artwork production enabling the artists to work with a range of different imaging techniques.

Alongside this work the artists have been mentoring a group of students from the University of Portsmouth’s MA Interior Architecture & Design course.  They will be working together to create their own light installation for the We Shine event inspired by the ‘Once a Sea’ theme.

The project has been commissioned by St Mary’s Church, Portsmouth and Fratton Together with support from Arts Council England, Portsmouth Creates and the University of Portsmouth. The artists would like to thank the church community for their help with the project and to the Faculty of Creative & Cultural Industries, University of Portsmouth for their generous support in providing the 3D laser scan of St Mary’s Church, and to the School of the Environment & Life Sciences for technically supporting the artists to use the scanning electron microscopy (SEM) facilities.

Artist Bio:

Anna Heinrich & Leon Palmer have worked together as an artist partnership since the early 1990s creating multi-media installations and interventions in response to a wide range of sites. They are fascinated by the blurring of boundaries between real and virtual space, light, material and architecture. They use projection, light, illusion, interactivity and sound to create installations to explore the processes behind the world of appearances and facades and to reveal hidden narratives or create ambiguous meanings.

They work across the UK, creating both temporary and permanent artworks in diverse places such as Lindisfarne Castle, Crossness Pumping Station, Chester Cathedral and Wakehurst, Royal Botanic Gardens Kew.

Heinrich & Palmer have been awarded numerous commissions and have worked with museums, heritage sites and collections which include the Royal Albert Memorial Museum & Gallery, The Great North Museum, National Railway Museum, Hull Maritime Museum and National Trust properties Mottisfont Abbey and Lacock Abbey.

Earlier this year their large scale work ‘Winds of Change’ commissioned specially for Aberdeen’s Spectra Light Festival premiered at Aberdeen Art Gallery and has since joined the city’s permanent collection.

They are based in Portsmouth and their work ‘Ship of the Gods’, shown at St Mary’s Church, launched the first We Shine event in 2021.

All images ©Heinrich & Palmer.