The Interior of Zionskirche from 2018
This winter, I have the extraordinary honour of creating two large-scale paintings (2.6 × 4.2 metres) for Zionskirche in Berlin. Exploring the themes of loss and hope, the works are intended as a quiet space for reflection, offering comfort to anyone navigating grief, uncertainty or change during Berlin’s long winter months. They will be in display during lent, from February 10th to March 27th 2027. There could hardly be a more meaningful place for these paintings than a church whose history has been shaped by solidarity.
For more than 150 years, Zionskirche has been a place where faith is expressed through solidarity. Throughout its history, the church has stood alongside those pushed to the margins, becoming a symbol of courage, compassion and peaceful resistance.
From 1931 to 1933, theologian Dietrich Bonhoeffer served as a curate at Zionskirche. As the Nazi regime rose to power, Bonhoeffer spoke out against Hitler, helping members of the Confessing Church resist state control of Christianity. Opposing the regime came at enormous personal risk. Arrested in 1943 for his involvement in the resistance, Bonhoeffer was executed on 9 April 1945, just weeks before the end of the Second World War.
More than 40 years later, Zionskirche again became a refuge for those challenging an authoritarian state. In 1986, activists established the Umwelt-Bibliothek (Environmental Library) in the church’s parish buildings. It became one of East Germany’s most important independent centres for environmental, peace and human rights information, publishing uncensored material despite constant surveillance by the Stasi.
The church also opened its doors to Berlin’s punk community. In the 1980s, punks in the GDR were viewed by the socialist state as politically unreliable because of their appearance, music and refusal to conform. Many faced harassment, arrest and exclusion from education or employment. Churches such as Zionskirche, themselves among the few institutions able to exist outside direct state control, offered punks a rare space for acceptance, concerts, discussion and community. Although their reasons for resisting the establishment differed, both the church and the punks found themselves challenging a system that demanded conformity over freedom.
Bonhoeffer, a banner for the Umwelt Bibliothek and a poster for a memorial punk concert at Zionskirche
It is a real privilege to contribute, in a small way, to this remarkable history. I hope these paintings can offer a moment of solace to anyone who encounters them and continue Zionskirche’s tradition of making space for reflection, resilience and hope.
The church has generously provided the space for this project but, like many historic community spaces, does not have the funds to commission the work itself. If you’d like to help bring these paintings to life, every contribution, no matter how small, is deeply appreciated.
A preparatory painting realised in 2025
Thank you! 💖