The day before yesterday we took a stroll in the November sunshine to visit Sanctum, opting to join a queue of people all eager to catch a glimpse of the treasures inside.

The art and performance installation, housed within the shell of a church bombed out in World War II has been high on my list since it launched on October 29th. It features a structure built by Chicago artist Theaster Gates, and while I was expecting a few boards fixed together, it turned out to be an entire building, complete with windows and a gloriously peaked roof.

Within ten minutes we were inside, joining the other 48 people (only 50 are allowed at any one time) relaxing to the epic tunes and disconcerting visuals of DJ Moody Groover and his Wheels of Steel.

Moody’s passion for the music soon seeped under our skin, as he wriggled around the stage space in his rainbow-emblazoned red boiler suit, occasionally stepping up to the mic to offer words of wisdom, (“Multiculturalism has failed. Multiculturalism has succeeded!”), sometimes donning a red helmet with song lyrics running across its forehead. Somehow, extraordinarily, he had captured the sense of a 3am rave on a sunny Sunday afternoon.

We left after our allotted half hour with broad smiles on our faces, wondering what else we’ll have the chance to experience at Sanctum before it draws to a close on November 21st.

Find full details at sanctumbristol.com.

Are you an artist or do you know an artist who would like to be showcased on SkyLightRain.com? Get in touch at judydarley (at) iCloud.com. I’m also happy to receive reviews of books, exhibitions, theatre and film. To submit or suggest a review, please send an email to judydarley (at) iCloud.com.