St Jude’s Church Hampstead hosts artwork made from toy cars

David’s Labyrinth is the work of Muswell Hill artist and teacher David T Waller in collaboration with St Jude’s vicar, the Reverend Emily Kolltveit.

Lined up in a rainbow of colour on the floor of the Hampstead Garden Suburb landmark, he says the installation offers a “private, reflective experience for those who visit the beautiful Lutyens designed church.”

David’s Labyrinth is located in St Jude on the Hill in Hampstead Garden Suburb (Image: Michael Elefthiarides)

The car labyrinth, with a Star of David made from gold mirror tiles at its centre, evokes a sacred symbol of Christianity that reflects the challenges of life’s journey – with God’s healing salvation at the centre.

Rev Kolltveit has paired the artwork with a quotation from Psalm 25: ‘Show me the right path, O Lord. Point out the right path for me to follow.’

Waller, who has a collection of 9,000 toy cars, collected over 15 years by his twin brother from various fairs and charity shops, says the immersive artwork incorporates themes of wellbeing; the environment, and inclusivity.

“I set up the cars at the Arts Depot in Barnet and at various festivals and called it Car Atlas Rainbow. I get the public involved to build it, and it makes a spiral in colours of the rainbow that carry a message of inclusivity,” he said.

“It’s visually interactive and has had lots of success with photographs of it featuring as a jigsaw puzzle and book cover.

“I went to see Emily who had this passion to have it as a labyrinth in the church, with the idea that it’s an analogy for the path of life.”

Wellbeing and the environment are among the themes of the immersive artwork (Image: Michael Elefthiarides)

Waller says the theme of cars evokes the climate crisis, while as an art therapy teacher he’s interested in the interaction between the installation and the meditative quiet of the building as a potential space for healing.

“I’ve never created it before as a labyrinth, or put it in a church, but you definitely walk into the building and feel a sense of pilgrimage, serenity, and stillness – maybe peace and quiet positivity – or perhaps thinking about life’s difficulties, and letting them go.

“Everyone will have a different experience but it really works.”

David’s Labyrinth can be visited at St Jude’s in Central Square from Mon – Sunday 9am – 6pm until closing time on Wednesday 28th August, and is open on Bank Holiday Monday.