London, 2018
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Eurythmics - When Tomorrow Comes.
Saturday, 30 March 2019
Thursday, 28 March 2019
HeartEdge Mailer | March 2019
HeartEdge Mailer | March 2019
HeartEdge is an international ecumenical movement. We are churches and other organisations developing mission. We focus on 4 areas - commercial activity, congregations, cultural engagement and compassion. Join us! Details here.
Each month we collect and email stories, web links, news related to our focus: commercial activity, congregations, cultural engagement and compassion. Useful, inspiring, practical - it's a resource.
This month:
HeartEdge is an international ecumenical movement. We are churches and other organisations developing mission. We focus on 4 areas - commercial activity, congregations, cultural engagement and compassion. Join us! Details here.
Each month we collect and email stories, web links, news related to our focus: commercial activity, congregations, cultural engagement and compassion. Useful, inspiring, practical - it's a resource.
This month:
- Encouraging kindness and wellbeing in our communities
- Cormac Russell on 'thisness', Asset based Community Development, plus radical campaigning and community organising
- Enterprise insights, plus tips on developing your church building
- The significance of friendship, Walter Brueggemann on Kingdom economics and Barbara Glasson on mission and interfaith.
- Also, Lent resources plus an extract from 'Walk Humbly', a new book by Sam Wells.
Click here to read the March Mailer.
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The Chieftains - The Rebel Jesus.
Review - John Kirby: All Passion Spent
John Kirby: All Passion Spent, Flowers Gallery Cork Street, until 30 March 2019
The art of painting is to still time and motion. As a result, the moment at which the artist chooses to freeze time is of real significance. The moments selected by John Kirby are those that reveal dis-ease.
The characters in his images pose awkwardly in scenes of everyday existence where their expressions suggest embarrassment and their body language points to a fundamental lack of comfort in their own skin and the relationships they inhabit. Whether the forced gaiety of those wearing party hats in ‘House of Fun’ or the unnatural pose of the naked child between the legs of a father-figure in ‘Ordinary People’, we are clear that what is depicted is not fun and is not ordinary. Kirby utilizes the static nature of painting to hint at the torment underlying the civilised facade of our culture.
Born in Liverpool in 1949, Kirby studied at Central Saint Martins and the Royal College of Art. He has indicated that his refined style has been influenced by the American realist painter Edward Hopper and the Polish-French modern artist Balthus. He has spoken of living ‘day to day with a cast of characters from my past into the present’ and this small retrospective to mark his 70th birthday brings together new and recent works alongside selected paintings from the past two decades, focusing on the conversation between past and present portrayed by that enduring cast of characters.
Kirby may be thinking of stilling time still further having hinted in an interview that this is possibly the last time he’ll have a show. The title of the exhibition, All Passion Spent, could lead in that direction with Kirby intimating that he has said what he has to say in and through his work.
Much of Kirby’s work has been driven by the expression of repression through the stiff and secretive interiority and surreality of his images. This driven-ness has its roots in internal struggles relating to religion and sexuality. Kirby’s use of the line ‘All Passion Spent’ from Milton's Samson Agonistes may suggest the private search of his characters for calm, as well as an increasing sense of personal peace.
One hopes that Kirby’s passion is not spent and that the showing of his work is not stilled as it would be fascinating to see the images that could result from the stilling of the storm in Kirby’s work and characters; to see what peace may look like on the stage that he has constructed.
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The characters in his images pose awkwardly in scenes of everyday existence where their expressions suggest embarrassment and their body language points to a fundamental lack of comfort in their own skin and the relationships they inhabit. Whether the forced gaiety of those wearing party hats in ‘House of Fun’ or the unnatural pose of the naked child between the legs of a father-figure in ‘Ordinary People’, we are clear that what is depicted is not fun and is not ordinary. Kirby utilizes the static nature of painting to hint at the torment underlying the civilised facade of our culture.
Born in Liverpool in 1949, Kirby studied at Central Saint Martins and the Royal College of Art. He has indicated that his refined style has been influenced by the American realist painter Edward Hopper and the Polish-French modern artist Balthus. He has spoken of living ‘day to day with a cast of characters from my past into the present’ and this small retrospective to mark his 70th birthday brings together new and recent works alongside selected paintings from the past two decades, focusing on the conversation between past and present portrayed by that enduring cast of characters.
Kirby may be thinking of stilling time still further having hinted in an interview that this is possibly the last time he’ll have a show. The title of the exhibition, All Passion Spent, could lead in that direction with Kirby intimating that he has said what he has to say in and through his work.
Much of Kirby’s work has been driven by the expression of repression through the stiff and secretive interiority and surreality of his images. This driven-ness has its roots in internal struggles relating to religion and sexuality. Kirby’s use of the line ‘All Passion Spent’ from Milton's Samson Agonistes may suggest the private search of his characters for calm, as well as an increasing sense of personal peace.
One hopes that Kirby’s passion is not spent and that the showing of his work is not stilled as it would be fascinating to see the images that could result from the stilling of the storm in Kirby’s work and characters; to see what peace may look like on the stage that he has constructed.
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Nick Drake - Day Is Done.
Sunday, 24 March 2019
Traces of the unseen and the transient
On sunny days, while waiting for the train Peter S. Smith draws his shadow as it extends across the station. He constructs these drawings by sketching the outline in a couple of minutes while waiting for the train before adding the tone over the course of the journey. This daily drawing practice keeps him 'visually fit' while also providing inspiration for engravings and, more recently, paintings.
As Simon Brett has written Smith 'has always been one of the few artists to use wood engraving for a truly personal and genuinely contemporary vision, untrammelled by even the best conventions of the medium.' The paintings, drawings and prints that he recently showed at One Paved Court displayed playful and profound engagements with these shadow effects in work that combined abstract patterning, figurative representation of shadows and platform furniture with traces of the unseen and the transient.
The exhibition reflected Peter's his interest in normal everyday experiences and the ways that these can be transformed by the materials, processes and metaphors of a shared visual language.
Peter S Smith is a Painter/Printmaker with a studio at the St Bride Foundation in London. He studied Fine Art at Birmingham Polytechnic and Art Education at Manchester. In 1992 he gained an MA (Printmaking) at Wimbledon School of Art. Examples of his work can be found in private and public collections including Tate Britain and the Ashmolean Museum, Oxford. His book 'The Way See It' (Piquant Press) is a visual monograph of contemporary work by a professional artist who is a Christian, which provides an illustrated introduction to the art of engraving. Simon Brett explains that Peter was: 'among a group of like-minded young artists who sat at the feet of the Dutch Calvinist art historian Hans Rookmaaker. Rookmaaker (1922-77), himself part of Francis Schaeffer's evangelical L'Abri movement, brought a deep understanding of contemporary art to bear on what a Christian might do in what then seemed like cultural end-times.'
He is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Painter-Printmakers and a Member of the Society of Wood Engravers. His work is held in many private and public collections including, Tate Britain; The Ashmolean, Oxford; The Fitzwilliam, Cambridge; The Vrije Universiteit, Amsterdam and The Glenbow Museum, Calgary, Canada.
Simon Brett, in reviewing ‘The Way I See It’, said: 'Peter’s wood engravings and etchings are so much expressions of the identical sensibility, rather than exercises in contrasted media, that they subliminally make one think of him not as a wood engraver or an etcher as such, at all, but as a printmaker and an artist. Not all wood engravers achieve that, let alone effortlessly. He has done his printmaking MA, he knows all about techniques but he never succumbs to the flash or relies on the technically accomplished. He keeps his work and us always on the edge.'
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Duke Special - Condition.
Saturday, 23 March 2019
Windows on the world (439)
London, 2019
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Friday, 22 March 2019
Hidden in plain sight
Modern Day Slavery is the focus of the 2019 Diocesan Lent Appeal which will raise funds for five charities that are already working to end Modern Day Slavery in London. These are: Tamar; Ella’s Home; Love 146; The Rise Project (The Children’s Society); and Kalayaan.
Bishop Sarah explains: ‘There are at least 40 million victims of modern day slavery in the world today, and tens of thousands in the UK. In one of the wealthiest countries in the world, in a capital city heralded for its history and culture, modern slavery is thriving. Thousands are forced into domestic servitude, forced labour or sexual exploitation in plain sight of Londoners, and many more are at risk of falling through the cracks, hidden from the view of the authorities, charities and the church. Behind those statistics, there are real people. Whether it be a woman or girl trafficked to work in the illegal sex trade, a man forced to work on a construction site or a child married against their will, none are free.’
We are asked to prayerfully consider how we can raise awareness of an issue that is ‘Hidden in plain sight’ whilst also raising funds to support the partner charities, all of which do equally incredible work, to help those trapped by Modern Day Slavery.
Last Sunday at St Martin-in-the-Fields Elizabeth Matthews led an awareness session on Modern Day Slavery in which she shared the following information:
There are estimated 40.3 million slaves around the world today:
- 10 million children
- 24.9 million people in forced labour
- 15.4 million people in forced marriage
- 4.8 million people in forced sexual exploitation
A SLAVE IS: forced to work – through coercion, or mental or physical threat owned or controlled by an ’employer’ through mental or physical abuse or threat of abuse dehumanised, treated as a commodity or bought and sold as ‘property’, physically constrained or has restrictions placed on their freedom of movement.
FORMS OF MODERN SLAVERY
Forced labour happens when a slave, under the threat of punishment, is forced to work or perform services against their will.
Debt bondage or bonded labour (the world’s most widespread form of slavery) happens when a slave borrows money they cannot repay & are required to work to pay it off & then loses control over both the conditions of their debt & employment Human trafficking happens when, using violence or threats or coercion, people are transported, recruited or harboured for the purpose of exploitation.
Descent-based slavery happens when a person is born into slavery because their ancestors were captured and enslaved.
Child slavery often confused with child labour but is much worse: child labour is harmful for the child & hinders their education & development, child slavery occurs when a child is exploited for someone else’s gain. It may include child trafficking, child soldiers, child marriage and child domestic slavery.
Forced and early marriage when someone is married against their will and cannot leave the marriage. Most child marriages are considered slavery.
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WHO IS VULNERABLE?
There is no typical victim of slavery – victims are of all genders and all ages, ethnicities and nationalities. However, it is normally more prevalent amongst the most vulnerable, and within minority or socially excluded groups. Poverty, limited opportunities at home, lack of education, unstable social and political conditions, economic imbalances and war are some of the key drivers which contribute towards vulnerability. Slaves today are usually controlled by fear and desperation, not physical shackles.
The AVERAGE age of a slave TODAY? 12 years old.
A SLAVE MIGHT: appear to be under the control of someone/reluctant to interact with others not have personal identification on them have few personal belongings, wear the same clothes every day or wear unsuitable clothes for work not be able to move around freely be reluctant to talk to strangers or the authorities appear frightened, withdrawn, or show signs of physical or psychological abuse dropped off and collected for work always in the same way, especially at unusual times, i.e. very early or late at night.
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MODERN SLAVERY IN THE UK: ANYONE CAN CALL HOTLINE: 08000 121 700 2009
National Referral Mechanism (NRM) created to respond to & investigate suspected slavery, to free any slaves subsequently discovered. only certain organisations could/can do a referral BUT, it did not support rescued slaves, and traffickers got away without punishment. Therefore 2015 Modern Slavery Act makes prosecuting traffickers easier:
- consolidates slavery offences & increases sentences bans prosecuting victims of slavery for crimes they were forced to commit (such as drug production or petty thefts)
- introduces child trafficking advocates to better protect trafficked children
- requires UK businesses to publicly report on how they tackle slavery in their global supply chains establishes an independent Anti-Slavery Commissioner to overlook the UK’s policies to tackle slavery
THERE IS STILL INSUFFICIENT SUPPORT FOR FREED SLAVES.
In 2017, 5,145 potential victims of trafficking and slavery were referred to the National Referral Mechanism. This was the highest number recorded by the UK authorities since the figures were first compiled in 2009 and a 35% rise from 2016. British nationals made up the highest number of cases for the first time, followed by people from Albania and Vietnam. The Global Slavery Index estimated that there were 136,000 slaves living in the UK on any given day in 2016, reflecting a prevalence rate of 2.1 slaves for every thousand people
https://www.globalslaveryindex.org/ https://www.antislavery.org/
ANYONE CAN CALL HOTLINE: 08000 121 700 When in doubt? Report!
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The Golden Gospel Singers - Oh, Freedom!
HeartEdge developments
10:00 – 15:30) exploring ways to deepen the spirituality of congregations.
Explore approaches to deepening the spirituality of congregations including accompanied prayer, art, Godly Play, lay communities, open door retreats, spiritual direction, and more. An opportunity for personal refreshment also.
The day is being running in partnership between members of the team from London Centre for Spiritual Direction and HeartEdge members.
Contributors include:
- Neil Evans, Director of Ministry, Diocese of London
- Alison Christian, Advisor and Advocate for Spiritual Direction
- Richard Carter, Associate Vicar for Mission, St Martin-in-the-Fields
- Julie Dunstan, Director for Formation and Professional Development, LCSD
- Antonia Lynn, Community Warden and Referrals Coordinator, LCSD
To book free tickets go to https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/deepening-spirituality-tickets-56331233235?aff=ebdssbdestsearch. For further information, please contact Jonathan Evens at jonathan.evens@smitf.org.
HeartEdge | Newcastle, Tue, 11 June, 10:00 – 15:30, Jesmond United Reformed Church, Burdon Terrace, Newcastle upon Tyne NE2 3AE
Exploring mission, sharing ideas, uncovering solutions and finding support. A day with Sam Wells and guests.
We are looking for two enthusiastic Sheppard Scholars (new Pastoral Assistant scheme) to support new and refreshed mission and ministry projects. Both roles will take part in the worshiping life of St Martin-in-Fields, with the opportunity to share the life of the Nazareth Community. This is an exciting and inspirational year-long programme offering two people a unique chance to learn and grow with us.
These are interesting, wide ranging and supporting roles requiring a broad range of skills. You will be working closely with Clergy, congregation, office admin, verging team, events, catering, concerts, retail teams, contractors and others. Therefore, excellent communication and relationship building skills are a key part of this role, as well as an ability to be pastorally sensitive in all communications.
These roles offer not only breadth of experience but also a range of responsibilities from participation and involvement to roles of leadership. The aim is to be able to give a wide experience of ministry at the heart of the life of this church and at the same time to draw on the Pastoral Assistant’s own gifts and faith at a time of growth in the life of St Martin’s and HeartEdge.
Full details can be found on www.smitf.org. To apply: please submit a supporting statement and your full CV to hr@smitf.org. Interviews will be by appointment on 7 May 2019.
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Eric Bibb - I Want Jesus To Walk With Me.
HeartEdge | Newcastle, Tue, 11 June, 10:00 – 15:30, Jesmond United Reformed Church, Burdon Terrace, Newcastle upon Tyne NE2 3AE
Exploring mission, sharing ideas, uncovering solutions and finding support. A day with Sam Wells and guests.
- Congregation: Liturgy, worship & new congregations.
- Commerce: Being entrepreneurial, rethinking church buildings, growing income via enterprise
- Compassion: Growing participation addressing social need
- Culture: Art, music & ideas connecting with communities
- Refreshments 10am. Programme 10.30am. Finish 3.30pm
- Panel discussion, theology and practical ‘how to’.
- Networking. Connecting. Lunch & refreshments
Register for free tickets here - https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/heartedge-newcastle-tickets-57644431045?fbclid=IwAR26jmMF5TNHUKEewL3XzHW0xvYWPtv7T_HLQwn81abXIl_sRC-9TjKxwkA.
Sheppard Scholars
These are interesting, wide ranging and supporting roles requiring a broad range of skills. You will be working closely with Clergy, congregation, office admin, verging team, events, catering, concerts, retail teams, contractors and others. Therefore, excellent communication and relationship building skills are a key part of this role, as well as an ability to be pastorally sensitive in all communications.
These roles offer not only breadth of experience but also a range of responsibilities from participation and involvement to roles of leadership. The aim is to be able to give a wide experience of ministry at the heart of the life of this church and at the same time to draw on the Pastoral Assistant’s own gifts and faith at a time of growth in the life of St Martin’s and HeartEdge.
Full details can be found on www.smitf.org. To apply: please submit a supporting statement and your full CV to hr@smitf.org. Interviews will be by appointment on 7 May 2019.
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Eric Bibb - I Want Jesus To Walk With Me.
Saturday, 16 March 2019
Windows on the world (438)
London, 2019
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Mumford and Sons - Believe.
Friday, 15 March 2019
Review - John Ruskin: The Power of Seeing
My latest review for Church Times is of “John Ruskin: The Power of Seeing” at Two Temple Place:
'Ruskin was a man of many words, who believed that, through drawing, one had the power to say what could not otherwise be said. He built his reputation on the power of his words as an art critic, author, and lecturer, but his subject was the power of seeing, because, for him, the teaching of art was “the teaching of all things”. He believed that the “greatest thing a human soul ever does in this world is to see something, and tell what it saw in a plain way”. “To see clearly”, he said, “is poetry, prophecy, and religion — all in one.”
Art, then, is an expression of “the love and the will of God” to which we gain access primarily by looking closely at the splendour of nature.'
'Ruskin was a man of many words, who believed that, through drawing, one had the power to say what could not otherwise be said. He built his reputation on the power of his words as an art critic, author, and lecturer, but his subject was the power of seeing, because, for him, the teaching of art was “the teaching of all things”. He believed that the “greatest thing a human soul ever does in this world is to see something, and tell what it saw in a plain way”. “To see clearly”, he said, “is poetry, prophecy, and religion — all in one.”
Art, then, is an expression of “the love and the will of God” to which we gain access primarily by looking closely at the splendour of nature.'
In a review for ArtWay of Adrian Barlow's book Kempe: The Life, Art and Legacy of Charles Eamer Kempe I noted that:
'The legacy and reputation of many significant Victorians is complex and contradictory because their often great achievements were fashioned on the oppression of Empire and the superiority and arrogance which fuelled aggressive expansion presenting exploitation of others and their natural resources as being the introduction of civilisation.'
In addition to the Kempe review, my exhibition review for Church Times covering 'Edward Burne-Jones: Pre-Raphaelite Visionary,' at Tate Britain and 'Seen & Heard: Victorian Children in the Frame,' at Guildhall Art Gallery also explores the complex legacy left by the Victorians.
'The legacy and reputation of many significant Victorians is complex and contradictory because their often great achievements were fashioned on the oppression of Empire and the superiority and arrogance which fuelled aggressive expansion presenting exploitation of others and their natural resources as being the introduction of civilisation.'
In addition to the Kempe review, my exhibition review for Church Times covering 'Edward Burne-Jones: Pre-Raphaelite Visionary,' at Tate Britain and 'Seen & Heard: Victorian Children in the Frame,' at Guildhall Art Gallery also explores the complex legacy left by the Victorians.
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Florence and the Machine - Big God.
Monday, 11 March 2019
Artlyst: Curating Spiritual Sensibilities In Changing Times
In my latest article for Artlyst I report on a day (19 February) spent visiting exhibitions in London that demonstrate the breadth of curatorial approaches to art and spirituality; approaches that are expanding and are becoming normative.
In the article I argue that:
'These exhibitions offer a breadth of curatorial approaches to the exploration of interactions between art and spirituality: retrospectives that engage with the religious questions and spiritual issues raised by the artists themselves; historical surveys that recognise the part that faith played within the diverse range of work created in a specific period or by a certain group; empathetic documentary reportage of faith communities; exploration of worldview themes in the work of linked artists; and installations that create space for immersion, improvisation and contemplation. The combination of all these on one day of exhibition viewing represents a major shift in contemporary sensibilities.'
My other Artlyst articles and interviews are:
In the article I argue that:
'These exhibitions offer a breadth of curatorial approaches to the exploration of interactions between art and spirituality: retrospectives that engage with the religious questions and spiritual issues raised by the artists themselves; historical surveys that recognise the part that faith played within the diverse range of work created in a specific period or by a certain group; empathetic documentary reportage of faith communities; exploration of worldview themes in the work of linked artists; and installations that create space for immersion, improvisation and contemplation. The combination of all these on one day of exhibition viewing represents a major shift in contemporary sensibilities.'
My other Artlyst articles and interviews are:
- Ken Currie: Protest Defeat And Victory
- Bosco Sodi: A Moment Of Genesis
- Bill Viola And The Art Of Contemplation
- Art In Churches 2018: Spiritual Combinations Explored
- Sister Wendy Beckett – A Reminiscence
- Marleen Hengelaar-Rookmaaker On The Legacy Of ArtWay
- Guido Guidi: Per Strada Flowers Gallery London
- Peter Howson Artlyst Interview
- Peter Howson: The play is over – Flowers Gallery
- Camille Henrot: Scientific History And Creation Story Mash Up
- Nicola Green Explores Recent And Contemporary Religious Leaders – St Martin-in-the-Fields
- Art And The Consequences Of War Explored In Two Exhibitions
- Helaine Blumenfeld Translating Her Vision
- Alastair Gordon A Testament To His Faith
- Sacred Noise: Explores Religion, Faith And Divinity
- Bill Viola: Quiet Contemplative Video Installation St Cuthbert’s Church Edinburgh
- The ground-breaking work of Sister Corita Kent
- Katrina Moss Chaiya Art Awards Interview: Where is God in our 21st century world?
- Picasso To Souza: The Crucifixion Imagery Rarely Exhibited
- Apocalypse Now: Michael Takeo Magruder Interviewed
- Jonathan Anderson: Religious Inspirations Behind Modernism
- Michael Takeo Magruder: De / coding the Apocalypse – Panacea Museum
- Giorgio Griffa: The Golden Ratio And Inexplicable Knowledge
- Arabella Dorman Unveils New Installation At St James Church Piccadilly
- Can Art Transform Society?
- Art Awakening Humanity Conference Report
- Central St Martins in the Fields Design Then And Now
- The Sacramental And Liturgical Nature Of Conceptual Art
- Caravan – An Interview With Rev Paul Gordon Chandler On Arts Peacebuilding
- Art Awakening Humanity Alexander de Cadenet Interviewed
- Polish Art In Britain Centenary Marked At London’s Ben Uri Gallery
- Michael Pendry New Installation Lights Up St Martin In The Fields;
- Mark Dean Projects Stations of the Cross Videos On Henry Moore Altar;
- Refugee Artists Learning from The Lives Of Others;
- The Religious Impulses Of Robert Rauschenberg;
- The Christian Science Connection Within The British Modern Art Movement;
- Artists Rebranding The Christmas Tree Tradition;
- Art Impacted - A Radical Response To Radicalisation;
- The Art of St Martin-in-the-Fields; and
- Was Caravaggio A Good Christian?
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Rickie Lee Jones - Nobody Knows My Name.
Saturday, 9 March 2019
commission4mission: 'Reconciliation' exhibition & Private View
Mercurial Dance gave their final performance of the day at Coventry Cathedral just prior to the Private View of our ‘Reconciliation’ exhibition in the Chapel of Christ the Servant. The Route 10 project explores our relationship to health and wellbeing, and our bodies’ capacity to heal. The piece has been based on conversations with both health professionals and people along the no.10 bus route.
The Revd Canon David Stone, Precentor and Sub-Dean at Coventry Cathedral, and Mark Lewis, Chair of commission4mission, welcomed guests to the Private View. Mark spoke about the themes of reconciliation found in the exhibition from the reconciliatory aspects of the life of Christ, contemporary issues including plastic pollution and conflict in the Middle East, plus images referring to the reconciliation ministry of Coventry Cathedral. The exhibition ends with two images of an embrace alongside Deborah Harrison‘s sculpture depicting clasped hands.
‘Reconciliation’ is an exhibition by commission4mission artists in the Chapel of Christ the Servant at Coventry Cathedral (1 Hill Top, Coventry CV1 5AB) from 10 March – 12 April 2019. Cathedral opening hours: Mon to Sat – 10 am to 5 pm (Last entry for visitors is 4 pm), Sun – 12 noon to 4 pm (Last entry is 3 pm).
‘Reconciliation’ is a group show by commission4mission artists. The title and theme for the exhibition can be understood in terms of reconciliations that are emotional, political, personal, biblical, national, communal etc.
Revd Jonathan Evens, commission4mission’s secretary says: ‘Our artists have reflected broadly on the theme responding with imagery that ranges from various forms of embrace, through pardoning and connections to aspects of the Life of Christ including Annunciation, Crucifixion and Glorification. Contemporary issues addressed include conflicts in the Middle East and plastic pollution. There are also images of Coventry Cathedral itself, emphasising its reconciliation ministry. A mix of abstract and representational imagery has been created, utilising ceramics, collage, digital illustration, drawing, painting, photography and sculpture.’
The exhibition includes work by Ally Ashworth, Hayley Bowen, Harvey Bradley, IrinaBradley, Valerie Dean, Mary Donaghey, Jonathan Evens, Maurizio Galia, Michael Garaway, John Gentry, Clorinda Goodman, Laura Grenci, Deborah Harrison, David Hawkins, Anthony Hodgson, Eugenia Jacobs, Mark Lewis, David Millidge, Lucy Morrish, Irene Novelli, Janet Roberts, Henry Shelton, and Peter Webb.
‘The Last Supper’, a sculpture by David Millidge is inspired by Leonardo Da Vinci’s iconic Christian masterpiece. However, it is not about Judas or betrayal. It is about the journey of religious tolerance. The disciples in this Last Supper are all identical figures but decorated with a thin veneer of symbols and images representing different faiths (ceramic transfers).
David says: ‘If we are to continue living in a world where wars, conflicts, prejudice and persecution remain on the decline, we must continue to break down the barriers that divide us with acceptance and respect for the different faiths that we live by. My sculpture portrays an optimistic vision of a future where all ideologies sit side by side in harmony.’
The faiths represented, approximately in order of affiliated members are: Christianity, Islam, Atheism, Hinduism, Buddhism, Sikhism, Judaism, Taoism, Bahaism, Confucianism, Jainism, and Shintoism.
Mary Donaghey’s contribution also images a reconciliation yet to be realised. In To Arm is to Harm, leaders of five countries dealing or buying arms smile as arms are burnt. The background shows their distressed faces as they see what they and the Arms Trade enable; destruction of Palestinian homes (rebuilding shown), etc..
Former Bishop of Barking, David Hawkins also addresses contemporary issues with his mixed media pieces: ‘Carrier bags have become the latest culprits in the war on pollution, with two million being purchased every minute across the globe. Back lit by the sun, they become angels of death and destruction. Our Celtic forbears saw God’s activity in the mundane of everyday life – in our century, even in carrier bags.’
The Angels of Death pictured in these images feature in Old Testament stories which foreshadow the forgiveness and reconciliation to be found in the death of Christ.
Similarly, Michael Garaway’s ‘Friday Process – Mark’ also focuses on the significance of Christ’s crucifixion coming as it does from a series of four which present in graphical form the symbolic ‘hardware’ related to Christ’s suffering and death, as described in the Gospel accounts.
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Live - Run To The Water.
Friday, 8 March 2019
Windows on the world (437)
London, 2019
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Delirious? - Find Me In The River.
Wednesday, 6 March 2019
HeartEdge Mailer | February 2019
HeartEdge Mailer | February 2019
HeartEdge is an international ecumenical movement.
Useful, inspiring, practical - it's a resource.
This month:
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Lizz Wright - I Remember, I Believe.
HeartEdge is an international ecumenical movement.
- We are churches and other organisations developing mission.
- We focus on 4 areas - commercial activity, congregations, cultural engagement and compassion.
- Join us! Details here.
Useful, inspiring, practical - it's a resource.
This month:
- Migrants, asylum seekers and church as hospitality and safe place
- Making good ideas real via CMS and 'Out of the Box' and Birmingham Bike project,
- Churches running cafés and soft play business plus how to curate art in a church building.
- Tips on community storytelling and the conflict in our congregations.
- Laura Everett on pedal power and prayer, biking around Boston.
Read the Mailer here.
Lizz Wright - I Remember, I Believe.
Menu options for Lent
Here is my reflection from the 8.30am Ash Wednesday Eucharist at St Martin-in-the-Fields:
I grew up in non-conformist churches where Lent was never a feature of their annual programmes. As a result, I have always felt that I have looked at Lent a little bit like an outsider. From that ‘outsider’s’ perspective it seems to me that there are three main ways of using Lent; all of which are ultimately to do with deepening our relationship with God.
The first is to give up something for Lent. This way of approaching Lent clearly derives from Biblical teachings on fasting such as those that we heard read in our readings. Fasting could either be a response to a particular circumstance, as in the reading from Joel, or part of a regular pattern of abstinence, as in our reading from Matthew’s Gospel.
In the first instance, we have a strong and particular sense of our unworthiness and need for forgiveness and our fasting is a part of our repentance; a way of saying to ourselves and to God that we are sorry for what we have done and intend to turn away from it. When fasting is part of a regular pattern of abstinence then it is usually more to do with freeing up time in which to spend in prayer and study of the scriptures than it is about a specific need for forgiveness.
What often happens in Lent as we give up chocolates or alcohol or whatever it is for the 40 days of Lent is usually more like the second example than the first. That doesn’t mean that Lent can’t be about responses to specific sin. It certainly can be an opportunity for that kind of self examination and repentance and this is something that our Lenten liturgy encourages as the opening responses ‘Good Lord, deliver us’ are intended as a rigorous self examination.
However, for most of us it is more likely that our abstinence during Lent will not be prompted by awareness of particular sins than by it being our usual practice. In this instance, it is worth pointing out that giving something up is in fact only half of the biblical package. The reason people in scripture abstained from food for certain periods was in order to use the time gained in prayer and study of the scriptures. So, if we do the former but not the latter then we are missing out on the real benefit and purpose of Lent which is to deepen our relationship with God by spending more time with him in prayer than is usually the case. A further aspect to giving something up is the opportunity to reflect and act on the needs of those who have so much less than ourselves and the Diocesan Lent Appeal which we are supporting will give us means by which we can take action in that regard, with a focus on ending Modern Day Slavery.
The second approach is to take something up for Lent. Traditionally, in Churches, this has meant attending a Lent study group or reading a Lent book; both of which are intended to take us deeper into an aspect of our faith and relationship with God.
The book we are studying here, The Confessions of St Augustine, is one of the greatest spiritual autobiographies written, and has had a significant impact on the church. It is “a canticle to God, full of psychological insights, which tells the story of a soul, and also the story of God, and how he is constantly at work seeking us.” We will be guided through the text, with a fresh translation by Benignus O’Rourke OSA, which sheds new light on Augustine’s spiritual journey. Each evening will follow the pattern of a community Eucharist at 6.30pm, where the different chapters of Confessions are introduced, followed by a simple shared supper and then listening groups. The book and our study guide are available from the Verger’s office today.
Often taking up a Lent study or book does also involve us in giving something up as well. I’m thinking of our time which may not usually be spent in that kind of regular study or reading or where we may be committing ourselves to extra study or reading.
In more recent years however taking something up for Lent has developed beyond study and reading to encompass actions and, in particular, acts of kindness. You could, for example, try the ‘Love Life Live Lent’ initiative which was first developed in the Diocese of Birmingham where a different act of kindness is suggested for each day of Lent. A similar approach is Christian Aid’s Count Your Blessings leaflet which suggests an action a week during Lent.
The final approach to Lent is to view it as being a time of preparation for Easter by reflecting on all that Jesus went through for our sake and all he achieved for us through his Passion and Resurrection. Some traditional ways in which people have done so have included regularly praying the Stations of the Cross or meditating on the Seven Last Words that Jesus spoke from the Cross.
The art exhibition we have in the Foyer during Lent and Eastertide may assist in doing so. Its theme of ‘Leaves for Healing’ is taken from Ezekiel 47:1-12, a vision of a transformed desert landscape. In a barren landscape the passage finishes with a wonderful vision of the fruit from the trees that grow being food and the leaves used for healing. We have here a vision of life being released into the dry desert of Ezekiel’s time and encouragement for us to imagine this life flowing into our 21st century context. The exhibition utilises this imagery to explore themes of flourishing, growth, healing and worship, with the two halves of the exhibition – one in Lent, one in Eastertide - reflecting the transition from wilderness to fertile land.
So these are some of the menu options before us as we begin this Lent. Which will we choose? They are not, of course, mutually exclusive and some might choose a gourmet Lent by taking up all the available options while others may pick ‘n’ mix by sampling a little of this and some of that. Whatever you decide the challenge is to make active use of the next forty days in order to deepen your relationship with God.
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Lord Jesus, Think On Me.
I grew up in non-conformist churches where Lent was never a feature of their annual programmes. As a result, I have always felt that I have looked at Lent a little bit like an outsider. From that ‘outsider’s’ perspective it seems to me that there are three main ways of using Lent; all of which are ultimately to do with deepening our relationship with God.
The first is to give up something for Lent. This way of approaching Lent clearly derives from Biblical teachings on fasting such as those that we heard read in our readings. Fasting could either be a response to a particular circumstance, as in the reading from Joel, or part of a regular pattern of abstinence, as in our reading from Matthew’s Gospel.
In the first instance, we have a strong and particular sense of our unworthiness and need for forgiveness and our fasting is a part of our repentance; a way of saying to ourselves and to God that we are sorry for what we have done and intend to turn away from it. When fasting is part of a regular pattern of abstinence then it is usually more to do with freeing up time in which to spend in prayer and study of the scriptures than it is about a specific need for forgiveness.
What often happens in Lent as we give up chocolates or alcohol or whatever it is for the 40 days of Lent is usually more like the second example than the first. That doesn’t mean that Lent can’t be about responses to specific sin. It certainly can be an opportunity for that kind of self examination and repentance and this is something that our Lenten liturgy encourages as the opening responses ‘Good Lord, deliver us’ are intended as a rigorous self examination.
However, for most of us it is more likely that our abstinence during Lent will not be prompted by awareness of particular sins than by it being our usual practice. In this instance, it is worth pointing out that giving something up is in fact only half of the biblical package. The reason people in scripture abstained from food for certain periods was in order to use the time gained in prayer and study of the scriptures. So, if we do the former but not the latter then we are missing out on the real benefit and purpose of Lent which is to deepen our relationship with God by spending more time with him in prayer than is usually the case. A further aspect to giving something up is the opportunity to reflect and act on the needs of those who have so much less than ourselves and the Diocesan Lent Appeal which we are supporting will give us means by which we can take action in that regard, with a focus on ending Modern Day Slavery.
The second approach is to take something up for Lent. Traditionally, in Churches, this has meant attending a Lent study group or reading a Lent book; both of which are intended to take us deeper into an aspect of our faith and relationship with God.
The book we are studying here, The Confessions of St Augustine, is one of the greatest spiritual autobiographies written, and has had a significant impact on the church. It is “a canticle to God, full of psychological insights, which tells the story of a soul, and also the story of God, and how he is constantly at work seeking us.” We will be guided through the text, with a fresh translation by Benignus O’Rourke OSA, which sheds new light on Augustine’s spiritual journey. Each evening will follow the pattern of a community Eucharist at 6.30pm, where the different chapters of Confessions are introduced, followed by a simple shared supper and then listening groups. The book and our study guide are available from the Verger’s office today.
Often taking up a Lent study or book does also involve us in giving something up as well. I’m thinking of our time which may not usually be spent in that kind of regular study or reading or where we may be committing ourselves to extra study or reading.
In more recent years however taking something up for Lent has developed beyond study and reading to encompass actions and, in particular, acts of kindness. You could, for example, try the ‘Love Life Live Lent’ initiative which was first developed in the Diocese of Birmingham where a different act of kindness is suggested for each day of Lent. A similar approach is Christian Aid’s Count Your Blessings leaflet which suggests an action a week during Lent.
The final approach to Lent is to view it as being a time of preparation for Easter by reflecting on all that Jesus went through for our sake and all he achieved for us through his Passion and Resurrection. Some traditional ways in which people have done so have included regularly praying the Stations of the Cross or meditating on the Seven Last Words that Jesus spoke from the Cross.
The art exhibition we have in the Foyer during Lent and Eastertide may assist in doing so. Its theme of ‘Leaves for Healing’ is taken from Ezekiel 47:1-12, a vision of a transformed desert landscape. In a barren landscape the passage finishes with a wonderful vision of the fruit from the trees that grow being food and the leaves used for healing. We have here a vision of life being released into the dry desert of Ezekiel’s time and encouragement for us to imagine this life flowing into our 21st century context. The exhibition utilises this imagery to explore themes of flourishing, growth, healing and worship, with the two halves of the exhibition – one in Lent, one in Eastertide - reflecting the transition from wilderness to fertile land.
So these are some of the menu options before us as we begin this Lent. Which will we choose? They are not, of course, mutually exclusive and some might choose a gourmet Lent by taking up all the available options while others may pick ‘n’ mix by sampling a little of this and some of that. Whatever you decide the challenge is to make active use of the next forty days in order to deepen your relationship with God.
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Lord Jesus, Think On Me.
Tuesday, 5 March 2019
Leaves for Healing
Leaves for Healing is a two-part exhibition organised by the artist’s and craftspersons’ group at St Martin-in-the-Fields. During Lent the exhibition runs from 6 March - 20 April and in Eastertide from 21 April - 9 June.
The theme is taken from Ezekiel 47:1-12, a vision of a transformed desert landscape. 18 artists from the congregation are showing work, some of which was created in the Drawing Club and art workshops organised by the group.
Ezekiel 47:1-12 is a marvellously evocative passage using much natural imagery – water, rivers, sea, swamps, marshes, fish, trees, fruit, leaves etc. The temple, as the place where God’s presence was very real, is seen as the source of new life, water flowing out and into the landscape, transforming the barren, empty desert into incredibly fertile land. In a barren landscape the passage finishes with a wonderful vision of the fruit from the trees that grow being food and the leaves used for healing. We have here a vision of life being released into the dry desert of Ezekiel’s time and encouragement for us to imagine this life flowing into our 21st century context.
The exhibition utilises this imagery to explore themes of flourishing, growth, healing and worship. The two halves of the exhibition reflect the transition from wilderness to fertile land.
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Eva Cassidy - Autumn Leaves.
Sunday, 3 March 2019
Artlyst review - Ken Currie
In my latest review for Artlyst I explore the way in which Ken Currie's 'Red Ground' exhibition at Flowers is further extending the rich and varied reach of a Scottish Realism which ruthlessly and relentlessly removes the many and varied masks we fashion for the violence which pervades our civilisation:
"Currie began his career by documenting the masked violence of economic and class relations but increasingly came to view violence as a sickness infecting society as a whole. His works explore the extent to which violence pervades society and reveal the extent to which we live, as [Jacques] Ellul suggests, ‘with a constant fear that violence will rear its ugly head and disrupt the peace we have managed to achieve.’"
My other Artlyst articles and interviews are:
My other Artlyst articles and interviews are:
- Bosco Sodi: A Moment Of Genesis
- Bill Viola And The Art Of Contemplation
- Art In Churches 2018: Spiritual Combinations Explored
- Sister Wendy Beckett – A Reminiscence
- Marleen Hengelaar-Rookmaaker On The Legacy Of ArtWay
- Guido Guidi: Per Strada Flowers Gallery London
- Peter Howson Artlyst Interview
- Peter Howson: The play is over – Flowers Gallery
- Camille Henrot: Scientific History And Creation Story Mash Up
- Nicola Green Explores Recent And Contemporary Religious Leaders – St Martin-in-the-Fields
- Art And The Consequences Of War Explored In Two Exhibitions
- Helaine Blumenfeld Translating Her Vision
- Alastair Gordon A Testament To His Faith
- Sacred Noise: Explores Religion, Faith And Divinity
- Bill Viola: Quiet Contemplative Video Installation St Cuthbert’s Church Edinburgh
- The ground-breaking work of Sister Corita Kent
- Katrina Moss Chaiya Art Awards Interview: Where is God in our 21st century world?
- Picasso To Souza: The Crucifixion Imagery Rarely Exhibited
- Apocalypse Now: Michael Takeo Magruder Interviewed
- Jonathan Anderson: Religious Inspirations Behind Modernism
- Michael Takeo Magruder: De / coding the Apocalypse – Panacea Museum
- Giorgio Griffa: The Golden Ratio And Inexplicable Knowledge
- Arabella Dorman Unveils New Installation At St James Church Piccadilly
- Can Art Transform Society?
- Art Awakening Humanity Conference Report
- Central St Martins in the Fields Design Then And Now
- The Sacramental And Liturgical Nature Of Conceptual Art
- Caravan – An Interview With Rev Paul Gordon Chandler On Arts Peacebuilding
- Art Awakening Humanity Alexander de Cadenet Interviewed
- Polish Art In Britain Centenary Marked At London’s Ben Uri Gallery
- Michael Pendry New Installation Lights Up St Martin In The Fields;
- Mark Dean Projects Stations of the Cross Videos On Henry Moore Altar;
- Refugee Artists Learning from The Lives Of Others;
- The Religious Impulses Of Robert Rauschenberg;
- The Christian Science Connection Within The British Modern Art Movement;
- Artists Rebranding The Christmas Tree Tradition;
- Art Impacted - A Radical Response To Radicalisation;
- The Art of St Martin-in-the-Fields; and
- Was Caravaggio A Good Christian?
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Talking Heads - Psycho Killer.
Saturday, 2 March 2019
Windows on the world (436)
London, 2018
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Talk Talk - Eden.
Art events & exhibitions update 2
The theme is taken from Ezekiel 47:1-12, a vision of a transformed desert landscape. 18 artists from the congregation are showing work, some of which was created in the Drawing Club and art workshops organised by the group.
Ezekiel 47:1-12 is a marvellously evocative passage using much natural imagery – water, rivers, sea, swamps, marshes, fish, trees, fruit, leaves etc. The temple, as the place where God’s presence was very real, is seen as the source of new life, water flowing out and into the landscape, transforming the barren, empty desert into incredibly fertile land. In a barren landscape the passage finishes with a wonderful vision of the fruit from the trees that grow being food and the leaves used for healing. We have here a vision of life being released into the dry desert of Ezekiel’s time and encouragement for us to imagine this life flowing into our 21st century context.
Ezekiel 47:1-12 is a marvellously evocative passage using much natural imagery – water, rivers, sea, swamps, marshes, fish, trees, fruit, leaves etc. The temple, as the place where God’s presence was very real, is seen as the source of new life, water flowing out and into the landscape, transforming the barren, empty desert into incredibly fertile land. In a barren landscape the passage finishes with a wonderful vision of the fruit from the trees that grow being food and the leaves used for healing. We have here a vision of life being released into the dry desert of Ezekiel’s time and encouragement for us to imagine this life flowing into our 21st century context.
The exhibition utilises this imagery to explore themes of flourishing, growth, healing and worship. The two halves of the exhibition reflect the transition from wilderness to fertile land.
Pastiche Mass, Thursday 21 March 2019, 6.00pm, Chelsea College of Arts, 45 Milbank, London SW1P 4JU
Pastiche Mass is a liturgical artwork composed and led by artist and ordained minister Mark Dean.
Dean has replaced the choral parts of the traditional mass setting with video and sound, incorporating a mixture of original and appropriated film and music. The work will premiere in the context of a Eucharist in the Banqueting Hall at Chelsea College of Arts, where Dean is licensed to minister the sacraments as chaplain.
All welcome, but places are limited, so please register for a free ticket in order to attend the event. The service will start shortly after 6pm. Please stay for refreshments afterwards.
Hosted by Art + Christianity and Arts Chaplaincy Projects.
Solace at St Peter's - Lent Creative Workshops on Wednesdays: March 13th, March 27th, April 3rd. 12noon – 3pm & Saturdays: March 16th & April 6th. 12noon-3pm. St Peter De Beauvoir Town, Northchurch Terrace, London N1 4DA.
This Lent, artists Sophie Alston and Ingrid Pumayalla (working from Peru), with students under the auspices of Arts Chaplaincy Projects (University of the Arts, London) will create: SOLACE AT ST PETER’S.
Using natural materials from around the neighbourhood and textile crafts, everyone is invited to St Peter de Beauvoir, to create a series of sculptures around the building, exploring the themes of spring and new life, and nurturing connections between congregation and community.
Sophie Alston & Ingrid Pumayalla are MA Fine Art graduates from Central Saint Martins with experience of participatory, craft-based residencies – most recently collaborating in an arts project at Princess Alice Hospice in Surrey, as recently exhibited in the Window Galleries at CSM.
They have a shared interest in the spiritual potential of art for healing and will be working with the community in and around St Peter de Beauvoir Town during Lent to create a series of sculptural installations exploring themes of spring and new life.
Pastiche Mass, Thursday 21 March 2019, 6.00pm, Chelsea College of Arts, 45 Milbank, London SW1P 4JU
Pastiche Mass is a liturgical artwork composed and led by artist and ordained minister Mark Dean.
Dean has replaced the choral parts of the traditional mass setting with video and sound, incorporating a mixture of original and appropriated film and music. The work will premiere in the context of a Eucharist in the Banqueting Hall at Chelsea College of Arts, where Dean is licensed to minister the sacraments as chaplain.
All welcome, but places are limited, so please register for a free ticket in order to attend the event. The service will start shortly after 6pm. Please stay for refreshments afterwards.
Hosted by Art + Christianity and Arts Chaplaincy Projects.
Solace at St Peter's - Lent Creative Workshops on Wednesdays: March 13th, March 27th, April 3rd. 12noon – 3pm & Saturdays: March 16th & April 6th. 12noon-3pm. St Peter De Beauvoir Town, Northchurch Terrace, London N1 4DA.
This Lent, artists Sophie Alston and Ingrid Pumayalla (working from Peru), with students under the auspices of Arts Chaplaincy Projects (University of the Arts, London) will create: SOLACE AT ST PETER’S.
Using natural materials from around the neighbourhood and textile crafts, everyone is invited to St Peter de Beauvoir, to create a series of sculptures around the building, exploring the themes of spring and new life, and nurturing connections between congregation and community.
Sophie Alston & Ingrid Pumayalla are MA Fine Art graduates from Central Saint Martins with experience of participatory, craft-based residencies – most recently collaborating in an arts project at Princess Alice Hospice in Surrey, as recently exhibited in the Window Galleries at CSM.
They have a shared interest in the spiritual potential of art for healing and will be working with the community in and around St Peter de Beauvoir Town during Lent to create a series of sculptural installations exploring themes of spring and new life.
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Mark Hollis - A New Jerusalem.
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