An exhibition on the occasion of the commemoration of the Spring Street Presbyterian Church, its abolitionist history and the recent discovery of the burial vaults of its diverse congregation.

  
Left to right: Tear the Sky, Burial Ground, Passing Through
For more images or pricing information, please see the full price list or visit the website of Cora Jane Glasser.

Artist Statement for the Exhibition
What happened at the Spring Street Presbyterian Church during its heyday was nothing short of courageous, and what even today might be termed progressive. It was truly a case of practicing what you preach, and preaching what is just. This is a legacy worth preserving and commemorating. The discovery of the forgotten graves provides a rare physical and visual opportunity to honor the history of that remarkable, inclusive Church.

My work as an artist as well as my studies in archaeology, anthropology, and law – and a family background in construction – all contribute to my interest in participating in this memorial event. The work was not created for this show, but seems to have been.

I take my abstract imagery from construction and demolition sites in New York City, exploring ideas of the old and new, what is there and what is not there. It contemplates the limited life cycle of seemingly permanent structures, posing the question: what will we leave behind, and will it be remembered? Not unlike layered ruins from ancient civilizations, our city contains stratifications of structure, social behavior and political progress.

I thank the First Presbyterian Church and Barbara Sherman for the opportunity to add my artwork to the memorial event.

Cora Jane Glasser