EXHIBITIONS at Salisbury Cathedral tend to provoke a wide range of reactions.

The subjectivity of art seems to be heightened by its presence in such a historic and much loved building.

People living in the city see the cathedral as their own, and those visiting have certain preconceptions.

It is a medieval construction and a religious one, and with that comes the expectation of impressive architecture, stained glass, statues of saints and an atmosphere of quiet reverence.

The cathedral does have all that, but as those closely involved with it as both a place of worship and a tourist attraction often say, it is a living, breathing place that is as much about people as it is about the building.

From the Bishop down, they are a pretty forward- thinking bunch.

And they don’t want a never-changing building, gradually becoming merely a part of the scenery that no one really looks at any more.

They want a church that is a place of music and laughter and fun, with art sessions for children, flower festivals, stonemasons at work and organ practice in the background.

The artwork chosen to be presented there is a part of that.

And thinking about whether you love it or loathe it is probably more important than whether you do love it or loathe it.

Take the latest exhibition by sculptor John Maine.

Sanctuary isn’t to everyone’s taste, and its blocky, angular take on stonework definitely provides a stark contrast to the cathedral.

I took a friend and her children there at the weekend, and the kids were soon clambering over the sculptures in the grounds; using them as makeshift hide-and-seek props and having a fine old time (they weren’t being badly behaved - it’s allowed).

One of them did end up with a scraped elbow, which would seem to lend credence to the health and safety fears raised by some sceptics.

But neither she nor any of the others could shed any light on how it happened.

Besides, as her mother pointed out, it would be a rare outing that ended without one child or another sustaining some sort of minor injury.

And all was soon soothed by the promise of an ice cream from the Salisbury Chocolate Shop.

I wasn’t quite sure about Sanctuary at first, but seeing so many people looking at the pieces, playing with them, leaning on them or just having a little sit down was great.

I don’t see any reason at all why artwork can’t be useful as well as decorative.

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