Voices of the Stones

Voices of the Stones is a closeup look at the wondrous and often humorous carvings on the unfinished tower at The Cathedral of St. John the Divine, the stone carvers who created them and some “secret” messages they carved in their limestone creations.  Robert F. Rodriguez was artist/photographer-in-residence at the church as these artworks were being created, and responsible for recording them for posterity and will discuss his ten years documenting this work.  Presented in Partnership with the New York Landmarks Conservancy.

The link to the permanent video of “Voices of the Stone” is available HERE

The General Society of Mechanics & Tradesmen of the City of New York

The General Society of Mechanics & Tradesmen of the City of New York was founded in 1785 by the skilled craftsmen of the City. Today, this 238-year old organization continues to serve and improve the quality of life of the people of the City of New York through its educational, philanthropic and cultural programs including its nearly two-century-old Lecture Series.

The Society’s Labor, Literature and Landmarks Series continues a tradition of public lectures that started at the Society in 1837.  Since then, it has been an important source of education and cultural enlightenment for all New Yorkers. The Series brings people of diverse interests from the entire New York area into our Library space. Now in its 13th season, the Artisan Lecture Series pays tribute to the art of craftsmanship by featuring master artisans who lecture about the intricacies of their specialized crafts. The Artisan Lecture Series promotes the work and art of skilled craftsmen to assist in ensuring their unique knowledge is understood and carried forth for future generations.

Robert F. Rodriguez

Forty years ago, the Cathedral of St. John the Divine undertook a major project to build its long overdue towers. Despite that effort, they were never completed – thus the church nickname, St. John the Unfinished. What most people do not know is that the partially finished south tower is host to an extraordinary array of stone sculptures – not readily visible from street level or otherwise open to the public.

Photojournalist Robert F. Rodriguez spent more than 10 years documenting all facets of the construction work involved in building the towers at the Cathedral of St. John the Divine. He was also a photo editor at Gannett Newspapers for 38 years and The Daily Mail for ten, as well as photographer for Heaven on the Hudson: Mansions, Monuments, and Marvels of Riverside Park and the upcoming Fabulous Fountains of New York.

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