Divine Heights

Chanted echoes hover over the cavernous space while solemn artefacts age quietly by the wayside. The eyes lift to the high ceilings and the mouth exhales silence. But not a prayer escapes. Not here, in the old turbine hall.

Yesterday I spent an invigorating day on Cockatoo Island being challenged and uplifted by the contemporary art installations for the 2008 Biennale of Sydney. There is much to discuss after seeing such a variety of work. However, I was most affected by the juxtaposition of the divine and the profane.

Walking through the old turbine hall, I felt as if I was entering a sacred space; a sense that was heightened by the haunting sound installation by Suzan Philipsz. The rusting remnants of equipment used by the men who used to inhabit the space told their stories and it was as if the place had conserved the spirit of shared toil.

In stark contrast, a work consisting of historic graffiti in the shipyard bathrooms proved that many of the workers held less than honourable ideals. This was not Vernan Ah Kee's only contribution to the exhibition. For the Biennale, Ah Kee has created 12 magnificent charcoal and pastel portraits.

"The drawings inhabit the space as an Aboriginal and 'human' presence. On gazing at the oversized portraits, the viewer experiences a sense of discomfort, as the confrontational act of the stare...is strongly felt"

Having been previously confronted by these extraordinary drawings, I was overwhelmed by revulsion as I entered the bathrooms and saw the racist, sexist and derogatory remarks scrawled all over the walls. Alone these works provoke visceral reactions, yet together this was powerful art; work that points the finger and delivers the evidence.

It was the return journey to Circular Quay that turned my musings towards the approaching mayhem of World Youth Day. As we successfuly pulled into the quay, a group of exuberant Italian visitors broke out into songs of praise. I could not help but smile at their joy and at the thought of the multitude arriving in Sydney to embrace a shared expression of their belief.

Faith is a pure foundation for spirituality. How sad it is that cracks appear in the walls when those held high abuse their power and scrawl their profanity over the lives of the innocent.