Epiphany: Telling an Alternative History of Modern Art

My latest article is for Epiphany, the magazine of Epiphanyart, an ecumenical society of Christian artists in Britain formed over 70 years ago and affiliated to the international movement Société Internationale des Artistes Chrétiens (SIAC) which supports national Christian arts events in many countries.

Epiphanyart aims: 1.To bring the work of Christian artists to the notice of churches and the public; 2. To provide opportunities for mutual support and encouragement to its members; 3. To provide a resource for exhibition organisers and others to contact and commission artists via its website; and 4. To serve as a focus for all forms of creativity.

This edition of Epiphany features: a review and reflections on the 'Disparate Threads' exhibition; Helen Armstrong on commissions at St Peter's Hove; poetry by Janet Wilkes; Vision for a National Christian Arts Festival; John Armstrong on Joy; and an obituary for Rosemary Roberts.

In my article I give an overview of the history of modern art flagging up the religious influences in order to counter the traditional narrative of modern art as a secular enterprise:

"... this story is not yet consistently or thoroughly told in the standard art histories of modern art, and that matters. From an art historical point of view, it matters because significant strands within the
story of modern art are absent from it and the story, as a whole, is diminished and incomplete.

From the perspective of emerging artists, it matters because, for those wishing to explore spirituality, their range of reference and role models is lessened. For practising artists, it has mattered because, for those wishing to explore spirituality, opportunities to exhibit and sell work have been constrained. For the Church and other faith communities, it matters because the traditional telling of the story, which excludes spirituality, privileges and promotes secularism.

The telling of stories matters because stories are what we live by or within. To see a change maintained in the way this story is told, we all need to be involved in its telling and to be those who tell the story in as great a breadth and depth as we each can manage."

In my first article for Epiphany, I gave an account of two war-time artists who made their way to Britain and ended up making an important contribution to the cultural life of the country through their art.

Join Epiphanyart to receive Epiphany magazine regularly.

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Ed Kowalczyk - Angels On A Razor.