Path of the Cross - the work will be housed in Christ Church, Wanstead, and will help towards fundraising

Optical illusion artwork that relied on ‘months of eating eggs’ unveiled as part of Art Trail Wanstead

Alistair Kleebauer, Senior reporter Monday, September 24, 2012
10:52 AM

An optical illusion artwork that benefited from its creator spending months eating eggs was unveiled in Wanstead on Saturday.

(l-r) Martin Jones, Lucy McKay and Janet McKay outside the Christ Church, Wanstead (credit - Tim Reder)

Path of the Cross, in which three separate mounted structures appear to merge together to form a cross depending on where the viewer is, was shown to the public at the Christ Church in Wanstead Place.

It is part of the ongoing Art Trail Wanstead and artist Janet McKay and daughter Lucy used more than 150,000 pieces of egg shell with a 24-ct gold leaf finish to give a shiny effect.

Ms McKay said: “For months we ate omelettes, quiches, eggs on toast, scrambled eggs.

“I can hardly bear to look at eggs now.”

One side of the artwork contains a graphite structure on which people are being invited to have their names and special occasions inscribed in return for donations to fund restoration of the church’s roof.

The church also held a flower festival themed around 2012 events including the Olympics and Wimbledon.

The art trail, in which works are shown around Wanstead, runs until Sunday when a closing party will be held between noon and 5pm at Snaresbrook Arts Project in Hollybush Hill, Wanstead.

Visit www.artgroupwanstead.com for details.