The Saints Wear White Chapel

Press Kit

Unique Properties

The Saints Wear White is both an artwork and an interior design that pay tribute to COVID-19 medical workers. The conceptual project sees the interior walls and ceilings of a church in China’s Hubei province - where the pandemic began - transformed into a large mural depicting figures dressed in white decontamination suits. The design of the interior experience takes inspiration from the historic style of church painting and fresco. The 3D renderings of this project are both an architectural proposal and visual art. Since the project was designed in February 2020, it has been shared widely online, bringing positive emotion and energy around the world, at a time when the world needed it urgently.

Dimensions & Packaging

The area is 120 sqm.

Tags

Church, Chapel, Coronavirus, Covid, Covid-19, Immersive, Fresco

Production Technology

This work is currently in its conceptual phase, existing as renderings. It was created as an avant-garde art: the images themselves exist online as if they are the photographs of a physical space. The physically realized version will use stucco, plaster, with painted fresco, in an actual chapel or as an independent interior installation.

Design Challenge

The quick rise of the COVID-19 pandemic posed a challenging question to this work: quickly share renderings of it online, or wait until it is physically built? It was created as an avant-garde art: the renderings themselves exist online as if they are the photographs of a physical space. As realistic renderings, the images brought positive emotion and energy around the world, at a time when the world needed it urgently.

Project Duration

This work was designed in February 2020 and was shared online since then. As realistic renderings, the images brought positive emotion and energy around the world, at a time when the world needed it urgently. The design is intended to be physically realized in Wuhan, China and in Italy, when possible.

Operation Flow

The project is largely about immersive perceptual experience. The space's layout is similar to that of a church or chapel, with a main installation where a conventional altar would be. Visitors freely move around in the central open space.

Research

The focus of the project and the research is on the aesthetic experience of a space that brings strong emotion. As an art form, fresco painting is powerful in invoking the emotion of respect and sublimity. In Hubei Province and especially Wuhan, Western influence brought in churches and church art starting from the 19th century. In this context, the decision is to use this religious architectural and art form to celebrate and advocate for secular life-savers. The work may help people around the world feel emotionally touched in a common way and unite together. Therefore, it is both locally relevant and globally understandable.

Inspiration

The work pays homage to the anonymous doctors and nurses who are the heroes and saints during the time of a crisis. With recent reports of mistreatment and improvable work conditions of medical professionals in China, these people deserve higher regard. As an art form, fresco painting is powerful in invoking the emotion of respect and sublimity. The work may help people around the world feel emotionally touched in a common way and unite together.

Image Credits

Images: Duyi Han

Colors of The Saints Wear White Chapel