Halcyon Gallery’s audacious new exhibition dubbed “Sacred & Profane” offers a contemporary reimagining of religious iconography. Situated at 148 New Bond Street, the exhibition will feature a dynamic range of works by renowned artists including Mitch Griffiths, Andy Warhol, David LaChapelle, Robert Montgomery and emerging talents such as Graceland London and Dominic Harris.

For centuries, religious art has played a central role in society, conveying moral narratives and spiritual messages through paintings and sculptures. “Sacred & Profane” revisits these time-honoured traditions, blending the sacred and the secular to explore how ancient symbols and religious themes can be reinterpreted to address the pressing issues of today. The result is a collection that not only invites reflection on spirituality but also challenges our perceptions of culture, faith and contemporary life.

At the heart of the exhibition is Mitch Griffiths’ dramatic oil painting Shrine (2022), which presents a modern-day Madonna crowned with a drone, symbolising the impact of unmanned warfare in the digital age. Griffiths’ work — which draws inspiration from the Baroque tradition of Caravaggio — takes a bold step by tackling issues such as social media’s dangers, environmental threats and consumerism through the lens of religious art.

In the lower gallery, the exhibition brings together powerful works by David LaChapelle and Graceland London, as well as a haunting photograph of Warhol taken by LaChapelle in 1986. Warhol’s iconic silkscreens of skulls are juxtaposed with LaChapelle’s surreal depictions of celebrity fame, and mortality, while Graceland London’s pieces bridge the legacy of Pop art with Christian iconography, further exploring the intersection between the sacred and the profane.

Santiago Montoya’s vibrant murals offer a unique political dimension to the exhibition, with his use of banknotes from around the world to create art that speaks to issues of national identity, power and politics. Meanwhile, Robert Montgomery’s conceptual sculptures — which take inspiration from church altarpieces — blend the sacred with poetic verse, offering a renewal of the spiritual through contemporary language.

Spanish artist Pedro Paricio reinterprets works by “Old Masters”, blending classical motifs with his kaleidoscopic, dynamic style. His vibrant canvases invite a fresh look at traditional religious themes, set against a backdrop of modern artistic innovation. Digital artist Dominic Harris — returning to Halcyon with his immersive interactive environments — uses technology to create pieces that engage directly with art history, offering a contemporary take on timeless themes such as birth, life and death.

Kate Brown — creative director at Halcyon — reflects on the significance of the exhibition stating, “At Halcyon, we represent artists whose work interacts with art history in incredibly nuanced and powerful ways, both in homage to the past and as a way to highlight what is distinctive about the contemporary period. In directly addressing our time, their work is incredibly poignant for a modern audience.”

“Sacred & Profane” made its debut to the public on 27 February at Halcyon, 148 New Bond Street. The exhibition promises to be an unmissable exploration of how artists continue to push the boundaries of religious art, making it relevant to today’s world.

For more information, visit www.halcyongallery.com.

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