Life is Short, Art is Long: The Art and Architecture of University Church

“Life is short, Art is long. Long, because it asks from us so long a study. Art is a translation of some aspects of that lovely creation in which we live. Art translates into a language and writes with letters of its own. It takes long to learn this language; long to fashion the hand to write these characters with grace and skill. Art is long; perfection is unattainable. Unattainable, according to the ideal of the artist; yet, in a measure, perfection has from time to time been reached; and that in an astonishing manner. What has been the secret of this occasional success? The answer is simple indeed; it has been by love, by courage, by modesty, by patient but determined perseverance.”

-John Hungerford Pollen (builder of University Church)

Aoife-Marie Buckley looks at the various decorative details of the Newman University Church building and how they came about, and considers the space as a product of the friendship and experiences of Saint John Henry Newman and John Hungerford Pollen, chief designer of the church.

Buckley is the Trinity College Dublin and National Gallery of Ireland Doctoral Fellow (2019-2023), researching the architectural history of the various edifices of the National Gallery since its foundation. Her current research involves delivering specialized tours and lectures on their architecture for the National Gallery, and curating small exhibitions from their archives.