profiles

You'll be expected to have deep thoughts on topical issues like how to save the planet but one thing you won't be allowed to do is escape. And you'll have to stay in a rather spooky Gothic tower.

The hermit will live in isolation

At the top of the museum’s 120-year-old tower is the room where the hermit, man or woman, will live for two months in the summer of 2009.

Before the residency, the hermit will be given access to all of the Museum's collections and staff, and specialists from across The University of Manchester and be expected to create a piece of art to reflect their worldly musings.

Director of the Museum, Nick Merriman said in effect, they were looking for an artist in residence, but admitted that the isolation wouldn’t suit everyone.

"It’ll take a particular type of person to be up here on their own during the day and particularly at night I think because a museum, and a gothic tower, can be a bit creepy. I wouldn’t like to be doing it myself."

Pillar

Hermits were often employed by 18th Century estate owners to muse on issues of the day.

Hermit: Simeon Stylites the Elder

One of the most famous hermits was Simeon Stylites the Elder who, in the year 423, climbed a pillar in Syria to pray, preach and converse with God and didn’t come down until his death 37 years later.

While the museum Hermit's stay will be shorter, they will be able to preach - or communicate their thoughts - via the internet or by notes.

Nick Merriman again: "The reason we came up with the Hermit project is that the museum is part of the University of Manchester, it’s in a tower, and universities have this rather dismissive term, ‘the ivory tower.’

"We thought we’d turn that around and make the isolation in a tower a really important part where you’ve got time and space to really think at a time when the planet is facing some major issues, and provoke us to think."

The Hermit will take up the post in May 2009. Applications close on 19 January.