Sue Spigel

Artist in Residence

Stephanie Ingham

On 22 February 2011, textile artist Sue Spigel was working in the Christ Church Cathedral as their artist-in-residence. By pure chance, she was not at her sewing machine or the nearby table as the quake struck, but was seated by the cathedral's arched windows listening to the radio – if she had sought shelter anywhere else in the room, it is more than likely that she would have been crushed as the tower and roof of the cathedral building collapsed.

Credit: Richard Cosgrove, Fairfax Media. Source: https://www.ceismic.org.nz/search/40089926/

As the dust cleared, Spigel fought her way to the window and cried for help to the people gathering in Cathedral Square. Images of Spigel's rescue, seen below, made international news.

Credit: Richard Cosgrove, Fairfax Media. Source: https://www.ceismic.org.nz/search/39865200/

In the immediate aftermath of the quake, Spigel was taken to Christchurch hospital in a police escorted public vehicle and treated for a broken arm. She has since made a full recovery.

Spigel represents the only reported serious injury from the Christchurch Cathedral building, although two other people were pulled from the rubble of the collapsed viewing platform.

Following her recovery, Spigel created the below quilt to commemorate the February 22nd Quake.