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Showing posts with label salisbury cathedral. Show all posts
Showing posts with label salisbury cathedral. Show all posts

Friday, 9 February 2024

Seen and Unseen: Infernal rebellion and the questions it asks

My latest article for Seen & Unseen is '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:

'I ended our conversation by asking in what ways the book challenges the accepted narrative of faith by providing a fresh perspective on familiar Biblical stories and why that is needed: “I hope the book is profoundly orthodox, but it poses some of the questions about faith that have fascinated me and that I believe fascinate others. Because it’s narrated by a rebel angel it can dare to be irreverent and occasionally downright rude. Don’t we always need fresh perspectives on the tradition? That’s what keeps it alive. It was the quest for a fresh perspective that first pushed me in the rebel angel’s direction when I was stuck for a sermon.”'

To read my interview for Artlyst with Nicholas Papadopulos about Grayson Perry's The Vanity of Small Differences click here.

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.

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Black Sabbath - After Forever.

Friday, 12 January 2024

Church Times - Art review: Leviathan by Shezad Dawood (Salisbury Cathedral)

My latest exhibition review for Church Times is on Shezad Dawood's “Leviathan” in Salisbury Cathedral:

'These paintings provide an opportunity to reflect, too, on the story of the slaughter of the innocents and the flight into Egypt. Canon Kenneth Padley, cathedral Treasurer, who chairs its arts advisory panel, has said: “This exhibition is a timely reminder, amid the anticipation and excitement of Advent and Christmas, that Jesus and his family were refugees and were being persecuted.”'

Read my Seen & Unseen interview with Shezad Dawood here and my exhibition on migration themes for Ben Uri Online here.

Other of my pieces for Church Times can be found here. My writing for ArtWay can be found here. My pieces for Artlyst are here, those for Seen & Unseen are here, and those for Art+Christianity are here.


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David Axelrod - The Warnings - Part 1.

Wednesday, 27 December 2023

Seen & Unseen: Finding the human amid the wreckage of migration

My latest article for Seen&Unseen is 'Finding the human amid the wreckage of migration'. In this article I interview 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:

'Dawood has said that the exhibition is “an exciting opportunity to bring some of the key questions I’ve been asking of climate, migration and our shared humanity … at a time when a renewed sense of sharing and purpose is urgently needed.” In the light of such thinking, Beth Hughes, Salisbury Cathedral’s Visual Arts Curator, suggests that,

“Shezad’s exhibition is a powerful reminder of how we are all connected to each other, and to the natural world … [focusing] the mind to help us think about how we might be part of the solution, to make a better world for ourselves, our loved ones and all of humanity.”'

See photographs from my recent visit to Salisbury Cathedral here, an interview with the Dean of Salisbury Cathedral here, and reviews of earlier exhibitions at Salisbury Cathedral here and here. The exhibition I curated on migration themes for Ben Uri Online can be viewed here.

My first article for Seen&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.

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Corinne Bailey Rae - Erasure.

Monday, 4 December 2023

Artlyst: The Art Diary December 2023

My December Art Diary for Artlyst 'diary begins with books that would make interesting gifts this Christmas before focusing on our usual eclectic mix of exhibitions that might otherwise be overlooked. Many thanks to all those who have gotten in touch throughout the year to offer thanks for highlighting exhibitions that otherwise might not have crossed their radar, particularly those that engage with spirituality in its many different forms.'

The month there is mention of work by Oisin and Sean Scully, Peter Callesen, Thomas Denny, Aaron Rosen, Shazad Dawood, Michael Cook, Michelle Holmes, Elizabeth Frink, Monica Sjöö, Micah Purnell and exhibitions at Ben Uri Collection, Salisbury Cathedral, Coventry Cathedral, Chappel Galleries, Dorset Museum, Modern Art Oxford, Lamb Gallery, and The Modernist.

My other pieces for Artlyst are:

Interviews -
Monthly diary articles -

Articles/Reviews -

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Andy Piercy - 4th Street Room 101.

Saturday, 2 December 2023

'Leviathan' - Salisbury Cathedral

















Leviathan is an exhibition by Shezad Dawood at Salisbury Cathedral which explores the interaction between migration, mental health, and climate change through thought-provoking paintings, textiles, video and sculpture. The magnificent setting of Salisbury Cathedral and Chapter House offers a contemplative space to reflect upon worldwide issues and ethical questions, something Dawood’s work seeks to encourage.

Where do we go now? is the title of a poignant sculpture placed within the 1215 Magna Carta exhibition space. It presents sailors on a small boat encountering a whale, representing the State. The whale threatens to destroy the vessel and prompts the sailors to throw a barrel overboard to distract it, representing their labour. Where do we go now? encourages visitors to consider the legacy of Magna Carta and the rights and freedoms of refugees.

Dawood’s short films, displayed in two of the Cathedral’s chapels, are set in the Brazilian Atlantic Forest and explore the ways in which all beings and the earth are connected. The artist writes: “We need to have empathy not just for other people living in our world but also for the vast array of animal and plant life who are victims of the way we treat our world.”

A central part of the exhibition is a collection of textile paintings hung along the Cathedral’s grand nave. The paintings depict personal possessions recovered from the seabed after a refugee ship was foundered, such as photographs and a passport. They are tribute to lives lost and those that were saved, prompting visitors to consider how we can find new reserves of empathy and think about ourselves as one humanity.

The Cathedral is also bursting with art in various forms: painting, sculpture, architecture, textiles and more. This includes their unique font designed by renowned British water sculptor William Pye and Barbara Hepworth's Construction (Crucifixion).

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John Tavener - The Whale.

Friday, 9 September 2022

Church Times - Art review: The Vanity of Small Differences by Grayson Perry in Salisbury Cathedral

My latest review for Church Times is of The Vanity of Small Differences by Grayson Perry in Salisbury Cathedral:

'... through his narrative, “Perry asks us to see ourselves as others may see us, and he also asks us to acknowledge the ways in which we judge others.” This, the Dean believes, “is worthy of exploration in a cathedral context” because “self-questioning and self-reflection are vital disciplines in the life of faith, just as welcoming and honouring people from every walk of life is part of our vocation as a place of prayer and worship and as a place which is visited by thousands.”

One of the purposes of liturgy and worship is to look at ourselves in the light of the gospel, making self-reflection a core spiritual discipline. A point that the Dean likes to make to visitors is that, although these tapestries were made ten years ago, they are, after Brexit, the pandemic, the cost-of-living crisis, and the war in Ukraine, “of more relevance than ever before” in their exploration of how united or divided we are as a nation.'

Click here for my Artlyst interview with the Dean of Salisbury Cathedral and Beth Hughes, Curator, Arts Council Collection about the tapestries.

Other of my pieces for Church Times can be found here. My writing for ArtWay can be found here. My pieces for Artlyst are here and those for Art+Christianity are here. See also Modern religious art: airbrushed from art history?

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Delerious? - It's OK.

Thursday, 14 July 2022

Artlyst: Grayson Perry Tapestries On Show At Salisbury Cathedral

My latest interview for Artlyst is with The Very Revd Nicholas Papadopulos, Dean of Salisbury, and Beth Hughes, Curator, Arts Council Collection, in relation to The Vanity of Small Differences, an exhibition of six huge tapestries by Grayson Perry which has recently opened to the public at Salisbury Cathedral:

‘Beth Hughes: The exhibition will make clear the artworks that have been referenced as intermediaries. The tapestries are not about telling a bible story, however, rather they are more about art history. Is this about the grandiose nature of the way we treat past artworks or about Perry aligning his artworks with paintings from the past? In the second panel, a club singer is aligned with Grunewald’s Isenheim altarpiece. There are clear references in relation to size and shape. This layering of references shows that art doesn’t come from nowhere.

Nicholas Papadopulos: The point I like to make to visitors is that Perry is using the religious references to address issues of class division and that post-Brexit, Covid, the cost-of-living crisis, and the Ukraine conflict, the issue of how united or divided we are is of more relevance than ever. Vibrant, witty, and well-observed, they are an invitation to see ourselves. That surely is one of the purposes of liturgy and worship, to look at ourselves in the light of the Gospel. Doing so is a core spiritual discipline.’

For more on The Vanity of Small Differences see my July diary for Artlyst - 'Re-imaging Essex'.

My other pieces for Artlyst are:

Interviews -
Articles -
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The Merchants of Venus - The Arms of Morpheus.

Saturday, 9 July 2022

Artlyst - Re-imagining Essex July 2022 Diary

My July diary for Artlyst has mentions for Michael Landy at Firstsite, Elsa James at Focal Point Gallery, George Morl at Southend High Street, and Grayson Perry at Salisbury Cathedral as I focus on the ways in which the image of Essex is currently being questioned, challenged and re-framed by artists and exhibitions in and from Essex:

‘Othered in a region that has been historically Othered’ is a major new film that comes in three chapters moving from initial experiences of being othered, through the Grenadian island ritual of Jab Jab which provides a transformative moment, into a final chapter that imagines a new future for Essex by taking the othering and turning it ‘into a zone of possibility and new dreaming.’ Unlike her earlier films in which the actual stories of othered Essex residents were re-told, these films feature James herself channelling through her performance – she equates this, in an interview with Ekow Eshun, to Christians receiving the Holy Spirit – the experience of being othered and of re-imagining.

Her performances in these films are based both on historical research into the persecution of women as witches in Essex in the mid-17th century by the infamous Witchfinder General, Matthew Hopkins, and focus groups held in Essex with asylum-seekers and refugees, black students, and the LGBTQIA+ community. From the focus groups have come phrases and concepts which have been incorporated into the lyrics and poetry that feature in the films. In this mix of words, sounds and images, James looks within ‘to find the source / of that redemptive’ and asks ‘What would Essex look like if the norm got turned on its head and the ‘Othered’ became the norm?’

My other pieces for Artlyst are:

Interviews -
Articles -
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Curtis Mayfield - We The People Who Are Darker Than Blue.