'All Souls and St John Vianney RC Church'

This is a pixel art illustration of All Souls and St John Vianney RC Church in Salford. The building was demolished in 2010 and is now the site of a residential block of housing, so it was my intention to preserve the image for future reference. The church was located on the corner of Weaste Lane and Liverpool Street, a short walk from where the Salford Reds Rugby Football Club was originally based. The green spire at the top of its bell tower could be seen for miles around, and the church played its part in various events attended by some of Salford's most famous citizens.

We often take for granted how accessible the world is today, and many people believe that photography has removed the need for art as a means of preserving history. However, a camera can only capture what is in front of it and does not have the ability to be creative and fill a void, so if nobody ever takes a photo of a thing; then as a medium it is worthless once the subject has been removed from existence.

This is a problem that I faced when creating the piece, as only a few photos existed of the church. All that I had to go on were these few photos and my own memory in order to piece together the illustration. I am not a religious person, and sadly I never took the chance to step inside the church, but it was always a familiar landmark and point of reference. Though it has been over 10 years since its demolition, I can still recall the sound of its bell, which would ring out every Sunday morning in its call to the congregation.