Retail therapy

Just back from Lakeside. Not my usual haunt but I enjoyed a bit of retail therapy after what has been a fairly draining start to the week for various reasons. Came home with Candi Staton's His Hands, Springsteen's Seeger Sessions and Peter Gabriel's Hit; all from the Border's sale.

While in Waterstone's, I was skimming through the Lion Companion to Christian Art when I can across references to four artists - Charles Milcendeau, Henry Simon, Ben Boutin, and Rémy Le Guillerm - which, although uncited, can, I think, only have been gained via my review of Humour et Critique dans l'art d'aujord'hui published in Art & Christianity 48. The artists are not among those who would normally appear in a survey of modern Christian Art as, with the exception of Henry Simon (a regional, as opposed to a national or internationally artist), they do not have major bodies of religious works or commissions. In addition, the works described in the book by these artists are those highlighted in my review and the details given about the works and artists are similar to those in the review.

While the Companion seems to be a generally comprehensive survey of visual arts created by artists regularly using Christian imagery or gaining Church commisions, I was surprised by the relative absence of acknowledgement given to those playing key roles in the visual art produced as part of the French Catholic Revival. Little mention seemed to be made of the works and influence of Maurice Denis and Albert Gleizes or of the artistic circle that gathered around Jacques Maritain.

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Candi Staton - His Hands.