Evidence of Faith



In 2009 I visited Paris with my girlfriend. While exploring the city we stumbled upon the Church of St. Merri off Rue Saint Martin. Although St. Merri lacks the grandeur and order of the great cathedrals, its age, artworks and architecture (plus its lack of crowds) foster an atmosphere of peace and contemplation.

For a long time I had wanted to start a project on churches, and this seemed the perfect opportunity to begin. I started by making photographs of the church interior, but soon realised that the soul of this church was to be found in its worshippers not its stonework. And although its worshippers weren’t present, the evidence of their worship was.

There were chairs scattered throughout the church — some were laid out in straight rows ready for the next service, while others had been left in small groups where people had prayed or simply rested awhile. Yet more were stored in hidden corners and alcoves for some future use. I quickly became fascinated by them.

It seems to me that these chairs reveal something important about the people who use St. Merri. In fact I believe that they offer a deeper insight into the life of this church than its architecture, artworks or guidebooks ever could. And perhaps they also show something of the nature of faith: the choices and sacrifices people make, and the way these shape their lives.

The project is ongoing and I will update this page periodically when I have new photos to show.