The Temple of Agape is a temporary installation created by Morag Myerscough and Luke Morgan commissioned by the Southbank Centre for their summer ‘Festival of Love’. The Temple of Agape is a celebration of the love of humanity, one of the seven Ancient Greek themes of love represented at the Festival.
The Agape procession begins with a 60m canopied series of love benches which lead to the entrance of the temple. The visitor can then journey through or stop and sit in the dappled lit temple and then proceed up the flight of stairs festooned with banners and signs that form a joyful parade to the next level of the Southbank Centre. The installation creates the chance for visitors to experience new views and a new entrance to the Royal Festival Hall balcony for the duration of the festival.
The temple is made from a scaffold structure, clad with exterior ply. All the wooden panels were painted in Morag’s studio other a three week period with the help of two assistants, Lizzie Toole & Kathryn Cross and a group of volunteers who gave their time unconditionally.
Southbank Centre’s summer festival will showcase love in all its forms. A series of weekends will explore the seven Ancient Greek themes of love through an array of workshops, performances and installations. The seven ancient themes: Agape, Storge, Pragma, Philia, Philautia, Eros & Ludos.
The Finale weekend, is the Big Wedding Weekend, inspired by Agape — the love of humanity. To celebrate the year in which same-sex marriage became legal, all couples, gay or straight, young or old, are invited to marry or renew vows on the stage of the iconic Royal Festival Hall.
all images © GARETH GERDNER