Step inside Christ Church Cambridge, the Episcopal Church in Harvard Square, Cambridge, Massachusetts, and you’ll quickly spot an amazing timeline on the wall. It measures 18 feet long by 2.5 feet tall. That’s a lot of square footage, but it contains all 250 years of the church’s history.
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| Christine Reynolds, designer of Christ Church Cambridge's 250-year timeline (Photo copyright 2013 Amey Callahan) |
“The church anticipated they’d research, write, and produce the timeline in four months; it took longer than that, as the
combination of text and 106 images developed into a richer and more nuanced
presentation. We had the good fortune of a team composed of parishioners who
were photographers, an archivist, a researcher, and an architect, all of whom
got along very well. For research, we drew on two books written about the
church history.
“I worked with the team to organize their information
along the themes of the church’s response to war, the changing architecture of
the church, role of women, race relations, and the rectors and their
legacies. I must say that my work with
you and our many timelines held me in good stead.
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| Parishioners at the unveiling on January 13, 2013 (Photo copyright 2013 Christine Reynolds) |
“The installation and unveiling of the timeline went
well. One parishioner saw himself in a 1965 photograph in the timeline with
Martin Luther King. Another parishioner in his 70s pointed out the many times
he was in the timeline—mostly as a child in the boy choir. That’s one perk of
growing older; you’ve a longer history of your own!
“The panel is ink-jet printed direct to a Komatex substrate (a synthetic material 6mm thick), taped to the wall with VHB (very heavy bond) tape, and supported by wood molding. We didn't anticipate that so many people would actually touch the timeline (!), so we are looking into providing a covering of some sort.”
Congratulations to Chris, the volunteer team, and Christ Church Cambridge on an exhibition of lasting substance.
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