Artlyst - Art In Churches 2018: Spiritual Combinations Explored

In my review of 2018 for Artlyst I highlight the opportunities that the past year provided to explore:

• the contemplative element within art through the frame of Bill Viola’s video works;
• one of the most innovative examples in the twentieth century of creating work out of the dialogue between art and spirituality in 'Corita Kent – Get With The Action’ at Ditchling Museum of Art + Craft;
• the fractious element to the Church’s embrace of art in Art Below's 'Stations of the Cross' at St Stephen Walbrook; and
• opportunities for creativity concerning interfaith dialogues in 'Faith' by Russell Haines and 'Journey' by commission4mission, both at All Hallows by the Tower, plus 'Encounters' by Nicola Green at St Martin-in-the-Fields.

My other Artlyst articles and interviews are:

• 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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Bob Dylan - The Groom's Still Waiting At The Altar.

Encounter Series Videos

Encounter Series

The Autumn Lecture Series at St Martin-in-the-Fields featured lectures which focused on the theme of encounter. How are we changed by the people, events or objects we encounter when we meet them face-to-face? How do prejudices shift? How are new insights born? What inspires us to new ways of being and relating to God and to others? How do we become who we truly are through those we meet? How do we encounter God in our lives? In each of these lectures prominent and inspirational leaders, thinkers and practitioners speak from a personal but also public perspective about the way such encounters have changed the course of their lives.

This year, for the first time, we recorded the Autumn Lecture Series. Videos of Encounter 2018 are now available through our website. A study guide produced for churches wishing to use the videos with their congregations is available from jonathan.evens@smitf.org.


To watch Sam Wells introducing the Series click here


To watch Richard Carter introducing the speakers click here


To watch Rowan Williams Encountering the Other click here


To watch Christianity Encountering Islam (filmed at Baitul Futuh Mosque) click here


To Watch Encountering London click here


To watch Encountering Jesus of Nazareth
click here


To watch Encountering the Sacred click here


To watch Encountering God click here

The Encounters exhibition by Nicola Green which was shown at St Martin's during the Autumn Lecture Series is accompanied by a book published by Brepols publishers titled Encounters: The Art of Interfaith Dialogue.

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ArtWay meditation: NIcola Green

In my latest Visual Meditation for ArtWay I reflect on the faceless portraits of global religious leaders by Nicola Green which can currently be seen at St Martin-in-the-Fields:

'Green has noted that all the religious leaders she has met share the feeling that no one takes much notice of them. Maybe her faceless portraits reflect this sense that they are overlooked and ignored. Many religions, however, encourage adherents to nurture humility in response to the divine. C.S. Lewis wrote that the humble are not thinking about humility, rather they are not thinking about themselves at all. It could be that Green’s religious leaders exemplify this understanding and that her faceless depictions reflect this.'

My other ArtWay meditations include work by María Inés Aguirre, Giampaolo Babetto, Marian Bohusz-Szyszko, Alexander de Cadenet, Christopher Clack, Marlene Dumas, Terry Ffyffe, Antoni Gaudi, Maciej Hoffman, Giacomo Manzù, Michael Pendry, Maurice Novarina, Regan O'Callaghan, Ana Maria Pacheco, John Piper, Albert Servaes, Henry Shelton and Anna Sikorska.

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Jeff Lynne - Give Me Love (Give Me Peace on Earth).

Encounters: The Art of Interfaith Dialogue

Launched at St Martin-in-the-Fields on 17 September, Encounters is a groundbreaking project by artist Nicola Green in collaboration with King’s College London, Cambridge University, and Coexist House.

For the past ten years Nicola Green has gained extraordinary access to meetings between religious leaders around the world. Travelling from the UK to Italy, Israel, Egypt, Qatar, India, and the United States she witnessed meetings between representatives of all of the world’s major religions. She had the privilege to meet Jewish, Christian, Muslim, Hindu, Zoroastrian, Sikh, Baha’i, Jain, Confucian, Humanist, Shinto, and indigenous leaders. Along the way, Green earned the trust of figures including former Archbishop of Canterbury Rowan Williams, Pope Francis, former Grand Mufti of Egypt Ali Gomaa, former Chief Rabbi Jonathan Sacks, Archbishop Desmond Tutu, and the Dalai Lama.

Green observed that we are entering a new era in interreligious relations: for the first time in history, religious leaders have begun to sit down together and consider possibilities for cooperation, dialogue, and friendship, overcoming historically deep divides. Together, they are leading the way towards a dialogue which respects and honours differing beliefs, without compromising the truth of their own traditions.Encounters is an exploration of difference. How can people of different faiths, or none, communicate strongly held convictions, whilst respectfully allowing others to do the same? Green hopes viewers will think about our relationship to those we consider ‘other’ and how this, in turn, shapes our own identity.

The works in Encounters are presented in two forms: The Light Series and The Encounter Series. The Encounter Series is a collection of portraits of global religious leaders, portraying the meetings which the artist has witnessed over the past decade. The Light Series is made up of twelve life-sized figures of religious leaders, viewers are able to meet them in one space together for the first time.

Nicola Green is an internationally acclaimed artist based in London. Inspired by her mixed-heritage family, Green explores themes of identity, race, faith, power, gender and leadership. Green’s work In Seven Days… documenting Obama’s 2008 election, has received international acclaim and is described by The Metropolitan Museum of Art as ‘an artistic and historic masterpiece’.

Green co-founded the Diaspora Pavilion at the 57th Venice Biennale 2017 and her work is in the permanent collections of The Metropolitan Museum of Art, The Smithsonian National Portrait Gallery, The Library of Congress, and the Courtauld Institute.

The Encounters exhibition is accompanied by a book published by Brepols publishers titled Encounters: The Art of Interfaith Dialogue.

The exhibition supports the Autumn Lecture Series at St Martin-in-the-Fields with lectures which focus on the theme of encounter. How are we changed by the people, events or objects we encounter when we meet them face-to-face? How do prejudices shift? How are new insights born? What inspires us to new ways of being and relating to God and to others? How do we become who we truly are through those we meet? How do we encounter God in our lives? In each of these lectures prominent and inspirational leaders, thinkers and practitioners will be speaking from a personal but also public perspective about the way such encounters have changed the course of their lives.

The first lecture in the series was given by Rowan Williams after opening the Encounters exhibition. I have compiled a preview of Encounters for Artlyst - click here to read.

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Leonard Cohen - Steer Your Way.

Encounter: St Martin-in-the-Fields Autumn Lecture Series 2018

I wonder how you have been changed by the people, places and events you have encountered?

‘Come and see,’ Jesus says to his first disciples in John’s Gospel; and they do just that. In the Gospel accounts, Jesus’ disciples witness his face-to-face encounters with a remarkable diversity of people - those of other nations, tribes, faiths, religious leaders, sinners seeking forgiveness, those possessed by evil, those seeking healing, those who betray him, and those whose lives will be forever transformed by his presence. It is not only those who encounter Jesus who are changed, but also those who witness those encounters, passing them on to others, retelling his stories.

Our Autumn Series of lectures at St Martin-in-the-Fields will focus on this theme of encounter. How are we changed by the people, events or objects when we meet them face to face? How do prejudices shift? How are new insights born? What inspires us to new ways of being and relating to God and to others? How do we become who we truly are through those we meet? How do we encounter God in our lives? In each of these lectures prominent and inspirational leaders, thinkers and practitioners will be speaking from a personal but also public perspective about the way such encounters have changed the course of their lives.

This lecture series will be supported by an exhibition, Encounters, in St Martin’s foyer and lightwell by the artist Nicola Green. This series of portraits powerfully expresses a series of historic meetings Green was privileged to witness between spiritual leaders around the globe, from Popes to the Dalai Lama to Chief Rabbis, Grand Muftis, Archbishops and Swamis. Encounters is accompanied by the launch of academic book Encounters: The Art of Interfaith Dialogue.

Come and see: Encounters an Exhibition by Nicola Green,
St Martin’s Foyer and Light Well, from 17 September-19 November

Click here for more information about the Autumn Lecture Series.

- Revd Richard Carter

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M Ward - For Beginners.