Stone carvings
by Gary Breeze (early 2000s)
St. John’s Churchyard is next to Tower Bridge Road, Fair Street and Druid Street, and near to Potters Fields Park, The Lalit London and the Bridge Theatre.
Created by master sculptor and designer, Gary Breeze, the words and letters on individual floor-based slabs can be pieced together to spell out local Bermondsey histories, from the site’s early use as an artillery training ground, to the destruction of the Hawksmoor church during World War II.
Breeze intentionally displaced the various pieces to form a park-sized jigsaw, encouraging visitors to explore and be more curious about their surroundings.
Commissioned by Southwark Council.
Established in 1993 primarily as a lettercutter in stone and wood, Gary gained a reputation for the innovative content of his work. From a coin for the Royal Mint to the tomb of a king or the landscaping of a cloister garth, his sensitivity as a designer has won him numerous major commissions throughout the UK and helped to raise the profile of text and lettering as a public art-form.
Also a keen sailor and boat builder, Gary can often be found at the International Boat Building Training College in Lowestoft.
