Morning Star (Lucifer) – Paul Fryer

Tucked away in the Holy Trinity church in Marylebone, Westminster, Paul Fryer’s Lucifer resides.  The church has not been used for worship in nearly 40 years which makes it the perfect abode for this grotesquely beautiful installation.

This shows Lucifer as an oily black figure, with huge white wings ensnared in power lines.  The piece has been created from wax, concrete, aluminium, rubber cord and feathers, and has an eerily dramatic effect.  The juxtaposition of the fallen angel in the disused church, lit by the light of stain glass windows seems to make a social commentary on the waning staunch following of Christian beliefs in a world which is technologically advancing.

So why call it morning star? Prior to Christian writers picking up on the name Lucifer, the meaning was literally morning star, the embodiment of Venus in the sky.  Often depicted as a winged male baring a torch.  Once used for the name of the angel which rebelled against God and started the war of the heavens, this stuck and can be picked up in writings such as Dante’s Devine Comedy, or Milton’s Paradise Lost.

Fryer’s work encapsulates the image of the angel with the dark soul, cast out of heaven perfectly. A lot of his work stems from a religious or scientific basis, and you can see more of his work here.

For now, enjoy the thrilling views of Lucifer in all its glory, and maybe let me know if you find this grotesque or beautiful…