Between: October 2024

Wednesday, 30 October 2024

Artlyst: Leonora Carrington Still Relevant - Firstsite Colchester

My latest exhibition review for Artlyst is on ‘Leonora Carrington: Avatars & Alliances’ at Firstsite Gallery:

'As is clear from this exhibition, the many visionary elements of her work, including her feminism, ecological awareness, interest in spirituality outside of organized religion, and understanding of a world without boundaries, not only result in the creation of extraordinary artistic and personal worlds but connect to key themes and challenges in contemporary society. Her cousin and friend, Joanna Moorhead, has said “The themes that were important to her, as long ago as the 1940s, are the themes that are important to all of us today – especially the natural world, our place in it, and the interconnectedness of everyone and everything.” By offering us a holistic view of Carrington’s life and work, this exhibition fully demonstrates the truth of that statement.'

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Big Star - The Ballad Of El Goodo.

The narrow way and the climate emergency

Here's the sermon I shared this morning at St Andrew’s Wickford:

''Sir David Attenborough issued a warning ahead of the UN climate summit in Glasgow in 2021 that leaders must act now or “it’ll be too late” for the planet.

Cop26 was billed as the last best chance to keep global temperature rises to no more than 1.5C, with Sir David critical of those who deny the climate crisis. In conversation with BBC science editor David Shukman, the naturalist and broadcaster said: “Every month that passes, it becomes more and more incontrovertible, the changes to the planet that we are responsible for that are having these devastating effects.” He added: “If we don’t act now, it will be too late. We have to do it now.”'

There is a narrow window in which we can change. The time is short, and the gate is narrow, as Jesus said to his disciples in our Gospel reading ((Luke 13.22-30).

When he spoke those words, Jesus knew his time was limited. He knew Jerusalem and death was fast approaching. He knew that through his ministry in Israel God's people were being given an opportunity to respond in a new way, yet the opportunity would not be there for long. Therefore, he and his disciples travelled the length and breadth of Israel in the three years before his crucifixion to share the good news of the opportunity that was before the people but only for a short time.

They went with the message that ‘The Kingdom of God is near you now.’ Now was the time when the Kingdom of God could be seen and touched and experienced because now was the time that God himself was with them. He sent his disciples ahead of him to say that the Kingdom of God was coming near, that it would be experienced in the time when he arrived. So, the time to respond and experience and join was now.

The Gospels, therefore, are full of urgency. Jesus' parables are stories of decision, stories in which people find out that time has beaten them and the moment for response has passed. Are we like, the wise or foolish bridesmaids? Those that were ready for the coming of the bridegroom, or not? Are we like, the farmer who built his big barns planning to eat, drink and be merry but whose life was demanded of him that night? Or will we be like the Prodigal Son who realised change was possible and seized the moment by returning to his father and being reconciled.

Life consistently challenges us to decide in the moment. If there is one thing that the pandemic taught us, it is that life is short, and we do not know what is around the corner. Therefore, we should not put off what we know we should do today. Our time is short, the gate is narrow, the time for decision is now.

That's certainly the case in regard to the climate emergency. Global efforts to tackle climate change currently are wildly off track the UN has said, as new data shows that warming gases are accumulating faster than at any time in human existence.

UN Climate Change, the UN agency tasked with addressing the issue, carried out an analysis on the carbon cutting plans that have been submitted by close to 200 countries. The UN wanted to see how much progress is being made in driving down emissions that are threatening to push global temperatures well above 1.5C this century, a level beyond which scientists say extremely damaging impacts will occur.

Right now, when the plans are added up, they indicate that emissions will likely fall by just 2.6% by 2030 compared to 2019. This is far short of the 43% reduction that scientists say will be needed by the end of this decade to keep the world on track for net-zero carbon by 2050.

“The report’s findings are stark but not surprising,” said Simon Stiell, executive secretary of UN Climate Change. “Current national climate plans fall miles short of what’s needed to stop global heating from crippling every economy, and wrecking billions of lives and livelihoods across every country.”

“The climate is changing fast," says Marina Romanello, executive director of the Lancet Countdown. “At the moment, we are still in a position to just about adapt to the changes in the climate. But it is going to get to a point where we will reach the limit of our capacity. Then we will see a lot of unavoidable impacts.” "The higher we allow the global temperature to go, the worse things are going to be”.

We are still in the narrow window of time available to us in relation to the climate emergency, although Cop26 and subsequent conferences have clearly not yet delivered the scale or urgency of action required. In the words of the singer-songwriter Lou Reed:

'This is no time to ignore Warnings
This is no time to clear the Plate
Let's not be sorry after the fact
And let the past become our fate

This is no time for phony Rhetoric
This is no time for political Speech
This is a time for action
Because the future's within Reach'

So, just as Jesus stated in relation to his own mission, we too need to strive to enter through the narrow door; for many, I tell you, will try to enter and will not be able because by then it will be too late. In our current situation, that prediction would be a disaster for the generations that follow us. Amen.

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Lou Reed - There Is No Time.

Tuesday, 29 October 2024

Oxford: Ervin Bossányi, Nicholas Mynheer, Roger Wagner, James MacMillan

Yesterday, I was in Oxford to see the transformational refurbishment of the ground and lower-ground public areas at M odern Art Oxford and their first exhibition on reopening Belkis Ayón: Sikán Illuminations. While in Oxford, I also visited St Peter's College Chapel, St John's College Chapel, and St Mary the Virgin, Iffley, before attending the Oakeshott Lecture given by Sir James MacMillan at The Sheldonian Theatre.
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Ervin Bossányi (1891-1975) now best known for his stained glass, was an immensely productive and versatile artist. His work, expressed in a language of strong colour and skilful draughtsmanship, speaks of harmony, serenity, and human dignity which tells much about a sensitive artist who shunned publicity and was happiest in the sanctuary of his studio. His life and career were closely interwoven with major upheavals and events in European and world history of the 20th century. Born in Hungary, Bossányi was twice exiled, first in Germany, and then after the rise of National Socialism, in England. The influences upon him crossed cultural divides and continents and were blended into an unmistakable personal style. His artistic achievements range from small personal ornaments, interior decoration and textile designs, to paintings, friezes and stained glass windows in prestigious buildings such as Canterbury Cathedral and Washington National Cathedral in the USA.

At the west end of the south wall of the nave in St Peter's College Chapel is a wonderful window by Bossányi on the theme of ‘In his hands a seed will grow’. It was created as a personal project in 1943 and installed in 1997 as a memorial to the artist and his wife. It sits at eye level, so affording a rare opportunity to get a close-up view of a window by Bossányi executed in his unique style. St Peters College Chapel also has designs Bossányi made for several of his most significant windows including Canterbury Cathedral and Washington National Cathedral. The Ervin Bossányi collection was generously gifted to St Peter’s College by the artist’s estate in 1996. The East window at St Peter's College Chapel is a superb example of John Hayward’s distinctive style with close, cross-hatched leading, brilliant colours, and witty details. Hayward (1929-2007) was one of the foremost stained glass artists of the post-war period.

St John's College Chapel also houses significant pieces of contemporary art. To the right of the altar is a small triptych of The Life of John the Baptist by local artist Nicholas Mynheer, while in the Baylie Chapel is a modern Coptic icon of The Baptism of Jesus, made in Egypt. In the main body of the Chapel are two windows by Bossányi, donated by his son Jo, depicting scenes from the life of St Francis of Assisi.

St. Mary the Virgin in Iffley is a fine example of late Romanesque architecture built in the 1160s by the Clinton family whose castle was at Kenilworth. The complexity of the symbolism throughout the church, including the geometry of the design, suggests educated and pious patrons. The sumptuous sculpted decoration and the quality of the materials brought to the site for the building, including Tournai marble shafts from present day Belgium, demonstrate that the building was designed to make a statement in this world as well as to God. Apart from the early thirteenth century extension at the east end, the church is substantially as originally built. During the last twenty five years, two magnificent windows have been installed in the baptistery, one by John Piper related to Christ’s birth, and the other by Roger Wagner depicting the ‘Flowering Tree’. Wagner and Nicholas Mynheer designed the new font cover and Mynheer also designed the new aumbry to the south of the altar.

In the third Oakeshott (formerly Scruton) Lecture of 2024, world-renowned composer and conductor James MacMillan spoke about music and the idea of the sacred, contrasting antiquity with the modern world, reflecting on the relationship between faith and the arts. Following his lecture, Macmillan was joined on stage by the composer and Prior of Blackfriars Dominic White, for a wider discussion.

MacMillan spoke about his appreciation for the writings and ideas of Roger Scruton after whom this series of Lectures was originally named. He spoke about the music that Jesus would have sung at the Last Supper and the links between that style of singing and Gregorian chant. He noted that Gregorian chant has been widely appreciated and studied by composers throughout history, including modern and contemporary composers. He also noted that, although churches in the Western have experienced declining numbers in the modern and contemporary period, composers have, in large numbers, continued to be inspired by religions and the music of religion. Although, as a post-War reaction, many composers eschewed the stirring up of emotions through music, opting for a more abstract style, increasingly composers, including MacMillan himself, have re-embraced emotion in more recent years.

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James MacMillan - Who Shall Separate Us.

Rosemary Rutherford's Religious Art - St Mary with St Leonard Broomfield

This Saturday I will be giving a talk on 'Rosemary Rutherford's Religious Art' at St Mary with St Leonard Broomfield, together with Kathy Rouse. The talk begins at 2.00 pm.

Rutherford studied art in Chelmsford and at the Slade in London in the 1930s. She also trained in the art of true fresco. She was a VAD (Voluntary Aid Detachment) Red Cross nurse during the second world war and created a large portfolio of sketches and paintings of all she observed in hospitals, both at home and in Sri Lanka.

She learnt stained glass making and created 40 windows, including four in Broomfield church, where her father was Rector, to replace those shattered by bombing. She was deeply religious and her spirituality guided her artworks. Her fresco at Broomfield church shows ‘Christ Stilling the Storm’ and was surely intended to give people hope during the frightening turmoil of wartime.

Rutherford is perhaps most widely known for her stained glass windows, mostly in churches, throughout East Anglia and further afield from Yorkshire to Sussex and even in New Zealand. The exhibition features a montage of many of her windows showing her versatility of style and subject. Her love of bright, bold colours is evident both in the east window of Broomfield church, in her earlier figurative designs and in the more abstract compositions at Boxford and in windows made posthumously to her designs at Hinderclay in Suffolk.

Project Rutherford at St Mary with St Leonard Broomfield centres on the preservation and conservation of Rutherford’s special mural in the Norman round tower, St Mary’s unique 20th century fresco. Its protection within the tower and its promotion has involved replacement of the spire shingles, repair of the spire’s wooden framework, repointing of the round tower, conservation of the fresco itself and outreach to all church users and to the wider community in bringing the fresco, and Rosemary Rutherford, ‘out into the open’.

To bring the life and works of this remarkable but largely forgotten artist to the attention of the wider community, a permanent exhibition was opened in 2023. This exhibition summarises Rosemary’s life and extraordinary artistic achievements. Models reveal how fresco and stained glass are made. Some of her remarkable range of drawings and paintings are shown, including wartime artwork and flower paintings. Her spiritual, caring nature and brilliant artistry shine through.

This permanent exhibition can be viewed during church opening times, currently Tuesdays and Thursdays 10:30 to 12:30 and after Sunday services.

Broomfield in Essex became a village of artists following the arrival of Revd John Rutherford in 1930. His daughter, the artist Rosemary Rutherford, also moved with them and made the vicarage a base for her artwork including paintings and stained glass. Then, Gwynneth Holt and Thomas Bayliss Huxley-Jones moved to Broomfield in 1949 where they shared a large studio in their garden and both achieved high personal success. My poem entitled 'Broomfield' reviews their stories, work, legacy and motivations. For more on the artists of Broomfield, all of whom are commemorated there with blue plaques, see here, here, here, here and here.

I will be giving a talk on these artists and their work in Essex at St Andrew's Wickford on Friday 6 December at 7.00 pm.

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Maria McKee - Breathe.

A Prophet in the Darkness: Exploring Theology in the Art of Georges Rouault

I've given an endorsement to A Prophet in the Darkness: Exploring Theology in the Art of Georges Rouault, edited by Wesley Vander Lugt.

Many consider Georges Rouault (1871–1958) to be one of the most important religious painters of the last few centuries. Yet both the secular art world and the church have struggled to engage with his work, which is profoundly shaped by his Christian faith and also starkly explores the pain and darkness of human experience.

In this volume, a group of theologians, artists, and historians seek to bring Rouault out of the shadows. They offer a deeper understanding of the theological impulse of modern art and of Rouault's distinct contributions. Chapters explore how Rouault's unique work was influenced by his historical context, by personal suffering, and by biblical themes, especially the Passion of Christ. Essays are interspersed with original artistic responses to Rouault in the form of images and poetry, with contributions from Sandra Bowden, William A. Dyrness, Thomas Hibbs, Soo Kang, and others.

Rouault displays our need for mercy within a world of anguish. This book explores how his prophetic creativity continues to inspire artists and thinkers seeking to understand the powerful intersection of lament and hope.

The Studies in Theology and the Arts  series encourages Christians to thoughtfully engage with the relationship between their faith and artistic expression, with contributions from both theologians and artists on a range of artistic media including visual art, music, poetry, literature, film, and more.

My endorsement is as follows:

'As is noted in this volume, despite the mid twentieth century prominence that Rouault enjoyed, his work is now lesser-known than contemporaries such as Henri Matisse and Marc Chagall, whose work and commissions often engaged with similar themes. The range and variety of engagements – both artistic and academic – with Rouault’s work found in this book serve as a corrective to the partial neglect of his work and achievements, including his legacy in artists engaging with Christian themes, by demonstrating the richness, depth and variety of his oeuvre and the many routes possible to connecting with it.'

See also my paper Rouault and Girard: Crucifixion and Resurrection, Penitence and Life Anew which was published by ArtWay and delivered at the ASCHA conference in Paris on Georges Rouault in 2022.

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Michael McDermott - Carry Your Cross.

Monday, 28 October 2024

Visual Commentary on Scripture: Fishers of People

I'm delighted that my third exhibition for the Visual Commentary on Scripture has just been published and can be found at Fishers of People | VCS (thevcs.org).

This exhibition uses Damien Hirst's 'Isolated Elements Swimming in the Same Direction for the Purpose of Understanding (Left) and (Right)', John Bellany's 'Kinlochbervie', and Paul Thek's 'Fishman in Excelsis Table' to discuss Matthew 4:12-22 and Mark 1:14-20. These artworks give us what is essentially a collage of the kingdom whereby we are invited to imagine the kingdom of God as a body of water in which Christians are immersed and through which they are raised.

My first exhibition for the VCS was Back from the Brink on Daniel 4: 'Immediately the word was fulfilled upon Nebuchadnezzar. He was driven from among men, and ate grass like an ox, and his body was wet with the dew of heaven till his hair grew as long as eagles’ feathers, and his nails were like birds’ claws.' (Daniel 4:33). In the exhibition I explore this chapter with William Blake's 'Nebuchadnezzar', 1795–c.1805, Arthur Boyd's 'Nebuchadnezzar's Dream of the Tree', 1969, and Peter Howson's 'The Third Step', 2001.

My second exhibition is A Question of Faith and explores Hebrews 11 through the paintings of New Zealand artist Colin McCahon. McCahon is widely recognised as New Zealand’s foremost painter. Over 45 years, his work encompassed many themes, subjects and styles, from landscape to figuration to abstraction and an innovative use of painted text. His adaption of aspects of modernist painting to a specific local situation and his intense engagement with spiritual matters, mark him out as a distinctive figure in twentieth-century art.

The VCS is a freely accessible online publication that provides theological commentary on the Bible in dialogue with works of art. It helps its users to (re)discover the Bible in new ways through the illuminating interaction of artworks, scriptural texts, and commissioned commentaries. The virtual exhibitions of the VCS aim to facilitate new possibilities of seeing and reading so that the biblical text and the selected works of art come alive in new and vivid ways.

Each section of the VCS is a virtual exhibition comprising a biblical passage, three art works, and their associated commentaries. The curators of each exhibition select artworks that they consider will open up the biblical texts for interpretation, and/or offer new perspectives on themes the texts address. The commentaries explain and interpret the relationships between the works of art and the scriptural text.

Find out more about the VCS, its exhibitions and other resources through a short series of HeartEdge workshops introducing the VCS as a whole and exploring particular exhibitions with their curators. These workshops can be viewed here, here, here and here.

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Newsboys - Fishers Of Men.

Sunday, 27 October 2024

Acknowledging needs and laying down cloaks

Here's the sermon that I shared at St Andrew’s Basildon this morning:

One of the questions I’m often asked is what’s the best book to start reading in the Bible. As today is Bible Sunday, it’s a great question with which to begin this sermon. In response, I’ll usually recommend that people don’t start with Genesis and try to read all the way through as, if you do, you’re almost certain to get bogged down and give by the time you reach Leviticus. Then, I’ll say as Jesus is both the centre of and the way in to the Bible, it’s best to start with one of the Gospels and, as the shortest and earliest of the Gospels, I would suggest starting with the book from which our Gospel reading is taken today, Mark’s Gospel.

Mark’s Gospel is the most fast moving and action-packed of all the Gospels. Sam Wells, the Vicar of St Martin-in-the-Fields, explains that ‘Mark’s gospel is divided into two halves. The first half is set in Galilee. Jesus heals people and calls disciples, and in between times he teaches, often in parables, and gets into trouble with the authorities. In the second half the scene shifts to Jerusalem. There Jesus faces controversy, his identity’s disclosed, and he’s led to crucifixion.’ The story of Bartimaeus that we have heard this morning is the climax of the first half of the story (Mark 10.46-52).

Earlier in the book, in Mark Chapter 4, Jesus told the Parable of the Sower. Sam Wells says: ‘You’ll remember that Jesus talks there about four kinds of earth: the path, the rocky ground, the thistles, and the good soil. The first half of Mark’s gospel illustrates these four kinds of discipleship. Some seed falls on the path: this refers to the authorities that reject Jesus outright, (the scribes and the Pharisees). Some seed falls on the stony ground: this refers to the disciples, especially Peter, James and John, (who accept the word immediately but wither in the face of temptation or persecution). Some seed falls among thorns: these include King Herod, (who takes to Jesus but as mired in a network of unsavoury commitments), and the rich young man (who Jesus calls but who just can’t leave his money behind). And then there’s the good soil. This refers to those who hear and accept the word and bear fruit in abundance. There aren’t a lot of these in Mark’s gospel. But Bartimaeus is certainly one of them. Mark’s gospel tells a story in which those who are the professional holy people, those who have most exposure to Jesus and his teaching, and those who have the most money and status, all fall away and are all supplanted by this solitary blind beggar, who alone does exactly what Jesus wants – he “follows him on the way.”’

There are two ways in which the soul of Bartimaeus is prepared to become good soil for receiving Jesus in his life. There is something he needs to name and something he needs to let go.

Jesus asks Bartimaeus, ‘What do you want me to do for you?’ Listening to the story, we’re sometimes inclined to say, ‘Well, isn’t it obvious? Why do you need to ask?’ but, by asking, Jesus gives agency to Bartimaeus – he is not simply someone to whom things are done without his permission – and enables to articulate his need.

I imagine we all can think of someone who has been unable to acknowledge that something in their life is awry – whether illness, addiction, mental distress or whatever – but because they have been unable to acknowledge or articulate what is wrong have continued on a destructive path or failed to seek help until it was too late. Our ability to recognise when something is wrong and express our need for help is a vital first stage in receiving help.

When Jesus stands still, as if to emphasize the timelessness of this moment, and asks Bartimaeus the penetrating question, ‘”What do you want me to do for you?” Bartimaeus has no hesitation. He knows exactly what to say. He simply says, “Let me see again.’

Think for a moment about what these words really mean. What Bartimaeus is actually saying to Jesus is, “I want you to change my identity.” Sam Wells points out that ‘Bartimaeus is blind, and he’s a beggar. That’s what he is and how he makes a living. When he begins to see he loses his identity as a blind man and his security of income as a person others feel obligated to help. He’s stepping into the unknown: a world he can’t begin to imagine.’

This change is symbolised by the cloak he throws away. ‘The cloak is the one thing he has. It’s his source of protection, from dust and wind and rain and cold. And it’s his source of income, like a street musician’s open guitar case. This is the crisis of the story: Bartimaeus has one thing and he wants one thing. He has a cloak and he wants to see. How much does he want to see? Enough to part with his cloak? Absolutely. He parts with the one thing he has in order to receive the one thing that really matters.’

The rest of the first half of Mark gives us plenty of examples of people who, unlike Bartimaeus, can’t bring themselves to shed their cloak. People like the rich young ruler who can’t let go of his possessions. People like James and John who can’t let go of their need for prestige. People like us.

Sam Wells says: ‘Small wonder we don’t want to shed the cloak. Because then we’d be stepping into the unknown. We’d find ourselves standing before Jesus and saying what Bartimaeus said. “I … want … you … to … give … me … a …new … identity. I want to become what only you can make me. I want to open my eyes and enter a whole new reality – like a blind man opening his eyes to see the world for the first time. Let me into that world. Please Jesus! Please Jesus: I’m leaving my cloak behind. I realize now it’s useless. Let … me … into … your … world!’

So, this story confronts us with two overwhelming questions: Are we prepared to shed our cloak? And, can we acknowledge and name our need? Let’s stop and reflect on both questions for a moment. Is there a cloak in our lives that we need to shed? Something that is part of our old way of life that is holding us back in the new way of life to which Jesus has introduced us. From the other stories we read in Mark’s Gospel, this could be to do with our search for attention or prestige or our seeking after wealth or possessions or our holding on to treasured past experiences or identities.

‘If we remotely recognize ourselves in any of these descriptions, or if family or nation or anything else has become our cloak, the story of Bartimaeus is saying one simple thing to us today. It’s time to shed the cloak. Making such a cloak for ourselves amid the uncertainty of life and the fear of death is understandable. Keeping such a cloak as our source of identity and security is a very common thing to do. But if we truly want to meet Jesus face to face, if we long to leap up in delight and joy because we’ve put our trust in no one and nothing but him, it’s time to shed the cloak.’

Then, there’s acknowledgement of need. Is there something haunting our life from which we are in flight? Is there something looming large that we are reluctant to acknowledge? Is there some key aspect of our life about which we are in denial? If there is, the reality is that a day of reckoning will come sooner or later, and the best step we can take is to acknowledge our need and begin to receive help now. The longer we wait, the harder it will become for us to acknowledge and receive.

Bartimaeus ‘parts with the one thing he has in order to receive the one thing that really matters. And Jesus stands still, as if to emphasize the timelessness of this moment, and asks Bartimaeus the penetrating question, “What do you want me to do for you?” Bartimaeus has no hesitation. He knows exactly what to say.’ Do we?

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Belle and Sebastian - The State I'm In.

Saturday, 26 October 2024

Windows on the world (489)

London, 2024

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Mike Peters - Regeneration.

International Times: From Auschwitz to Africa

My latest book review to be published by International Times is entitled 'From Auschwitz to Africa' and is about 'Nolan's Africa' by Andrew Turley:

'Turley, by rejecting the easy shorthand with which many write about Nolan, has succeeded in bringing the African Journey images out of the shadows and into the light. Through his extensive research, Turley succeeds in shining new light on Nolan’s examination of nature, human nature and the nature of modern civilisation. He revives Nolan’s warning to society by urging his readers to consider the effect that the Holocaust, animal extinctions, colonial disenfranchisement and human conflict has had not just on the artist but also on society.'

For more of my writings on Sidney Nolan see my Artlyst interview with Andrew Turley and my review of Sidney Nolan: Colour of the Sky – Auschwitz Paintings.

My earlier pieces for IT are an interview with the poet Chris Emery, an interview with Jago Cooper, Director of the the Sainsbury Centre for Visual Arts, plus reviews of: Mavis Staples in concert at Union Chapel; T Bone Burnett's 'The Other Side' and Peter Case live in Leytonstone; Helaine Blumenfeld's Together exhibition, What Is and Might Be and then Otherwise by David Miller; 'Giacometti in Paris' by Michael Peppiatt, the first Pissabed Prophet album - 'Zany in parts, moving in others, you’ll be hard pressed to find a more unusual, inspired & profound album this year. ‘Pissabed Prophet’ will thrill, intrigue, amuse & inspire' - and 'Religion and Contemporary Art: A Curious Accord', a book which derives from a 2017 symposium organised by the Association of Scholars of Christianity in the History of Art.

Several of my short stories have been published by IT including three about Nicola Ravenscroft's EarthAngel sculptures (then called mudcubs), which we exhibited at St Andrew's Wickford in 2022. The first story in the series is 'The Mudcubs and the O Zone holes'. The second is 'The Mudcubs and the Clean-Up King', and the third is 'The mudcubs and the Wall'. My other short stories to have been published by International Times are 'The Black Rain', a story about the impact of violence in our media, 'The New Dark Ages', a story about principles and understandings that are gradually fading away from our modern societies, and 'The curious glasses', a story based on the butterfly effect.

IT have also published a poem, The ABC of creativity, which covers attention, beginning and creation, and 'Broomfield', which is part of a series of poems on thin places and sacred spaces in Essex called 'Four Essex Trios'.

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The Alarm - Protect And Survive.

Friday, 25 October 2024

Seen and Unseen: Dark, sweet and subtle: recovered music orientates us

My latest article for Seen & Unseen is entitled 'Dark, sweet and subtle: recovered music orientates us'. In the article I highlight alt-folk music seeking inspiration from forgotten hymns:

'The musical reimaging involved in Over the Rhine’s reinterpretations of hymns takes them into the space that Brueggemann defines as new orientation, while the sounds and, in some cases, content of the hymns chosen by Steffan and Ghostwriter are more in the realm of his disorientation category. The music making of Lleuwen Steffan, Ghostwriter and Over the Rhine takes us to places not commonly accessed by the music used in many church services.'

My first article for Seen and Unseen was 'Life is more important than art' which reviews the themes of recent art exhibitions that tackle life’s big questions and the roles creators take.

My second article 'Corinne Bailey Rae’s energised and anguished creative journey' explores inspirations in Detroit, Leeds and Ethiopia for Corinne Bailey Rae’s latest album, Black Rainbows, which is an atlas of capacious faith.

My third article was an interview with musician and priest Rev Simpkins in which we discussed how music is an expression of humanity and his faith.

My fourth article was a guide to the Christmas season’s art, past and present. Traditionally at this time of year “great art comes tumbling through your letterbox” so, in this article, I explore the historic and contemporary art of Christmas.

My fifth article was 'Finding the human amid the wreckage of migration'. In this article I interviewed Shezad Dawood about his multimedia Leviathan exhibition at Salisbury Cathedral where personal objects recovered from ocean depths tell a story of modern and ancient migrations.

My sixth article was 'The visionary artists finding heaven down here' in which I explored a tradition of visionary artists whose works shed light on the material and spiritual worlds.

My seventh article was 'How the incomer’s eye sees identity' in which I explain how curating an exhibition for Ben Uri Online gave me the chance to highlight synergies between ancient texts and current issues.

My eighth article was 'Infernal rebellion and the questions it asks' in which I interview the author Nicholas Papadopulos about his book The Infernal Word: Notes from a Rebel Angel.

My ninth article was 'A day, night and dawn with Nick Cave’s lyrics' in which I review Adam Steiner’s Darker With The Dawn — Nick Cave’s Songs Of Love And Death and explore whether Steiner's rappel into Cave’s art helps us understand its purpose.

My 10th article was 'Theresa Lola's poetical hope' about the death-haunted yet lyrical, joyful and moving poet for a new generation.

My 11th article was 'How to look at our world: Aaron Rosen interview', exploring themes from Rosen's book 'What Would Jesus See: Ways of Looking at a Disorienting World'.

My 12th article was 'Blake, imagination and the insight of God', exploring a new exhibition - 'William Blake's Universe at the Fitzwilliam Museum - which focuses on seekers of spiritual regeneration and national revival.

My 13th article 'Matthew Krishanu: painting childhood' was an interview with Matthew Krishanu on his exhibition 'The Bough Breaks' at Camden Art Centre.

My 14th article was entitled 'Art makes life worth living' and explored why society, and churches, need the Arts.

My 15th article was entitled 'The collective effervescence of sport's congregation' and explored some of the ways in which sport and religion have been intimately entwined throughout history

My 16th article was entitled 'Paradise cottage: Milton reimagin’d' and reviewed the ways in which artist Richard Kenton Webb is conversing with the blind poet in his former home (Milton's Cottage, Chalfont St Giles).

My 17th article was entitled 'Controversial art: how can the critic love their neighbour?'. It makes suggestions of what to do when confronted with contentious culture.

My 18th article was an interview entitled 'Art, AI and apocalypse: Michael Takeo Magruder addresses our fears and questions'. In the interview the digital artist talks about the possibilities and challenges of artificial intelligence.

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Lleuwen Steffan - Tafod Arian — Live at Celtic Connections.