Art for Advent's sake

The December edition of The Month, the newspaper for the Diocese of Chelmsford features the Redbridge Advent Art Installation together with the above photo of Bishop David viewing the installation.

Churches in Redbridge have created an Art Installation which will be displayed in six churches throughout the Advent season. Our aim has been to create a restful space that would enable Christians and non Christians alike to relax and reflect as an alternative to the busyness that the Christmas period brings. The theme of light was chosen as a symbol that crosses faiths and cultures which would therefore would have as wide an appeal as possible.

The Advent Art Installation comprises three panels of mirrored perspex mounted on wooden backing panels with the mirrored surfaces painted to an abstract design using differing textures and densities of paint while leaving unpainted areas forming the shape of a star and the repeated word ‘peace’. A quiet, reflective environment will be created around the installation using music, candles and scatter cushions. One of the key concepts of the artwork is that people will become a part of the installation by viewing themselves in these mirrored surfaces.

A meditation on the installation sets out the concepts that we have sought to bring into play: “A Chinese proverb says, ‘It is better to light a candle than to curse the darkness.’ Darkness and light both feature in this art installation for display in Redbridge churches during Advent.
The sombre colours and rectangular voids of this abstract artwork may recall works by Mark Rothko which hang in Tate Modern. Rothko’s later paintings have often been understood as depictions of the absence of God and the darkness of the world; an impression reinforced by Rothko’s suicide on the day that the Tate received those paintings.

St Paul wrote that our experience in life is that of seeing in a mirror dimly; we do not see clearly and our understanding of life is clouded, he seemed to say. That may also be our experience in this installation, where the abstract colour has been applied to mirrored perspex, clouding our ability to see clearly in the mirrored panels of the installation. Yet the poet, Martin Wroe, has written that God can be seen as “the abstract art of paint and poem when our propaganda makes everything clear.”

In the darkness of the abstract design, we can still see reflected the candles, lit within the space where the artwork stands, and picked out on the panels, forming a star, are also lines of clear reflection. The light beaming from the star on the right panel is linked by a line to the repeated word ‘Peace’ on the left. In what ways might there be links between light and peace in the darkness of our world?

What do we see as we look into the blurred and clear mirrored spaces of this installation? Essentially, as in any mirror, we see ourselves, both blurred and distinct. Are we defined by the darkness or are we one of the many points of light reflected in the darkness of this design? Is the reflection of our light blurred or distinct as we shine in the world? In what ways could we become light bringers and peace makers? After all, it is better to light a candle than to curse the darkness.”

The dates and times when the Installation will be displayed in Redbridge churches are as follows:

• St Luke’s Church, Baxter Road, Ilford IG1 2HN: 1st 8.30 am – 4.00 pm; 2nd 8.30 am – 4.00 pm; 3rd 8.30 am – 4.00 pm; 4th 8.30 am – 4.00 pm.


• St Alban’s Church, Albert Road/Mildmay Road IG1: 5th 10.00 am –12.00 noon; 6th 10.00 am –12.00 noon; 7th 7.30 am –12.30 pm & 5.30 am - 6.45 pm.


• St John’s Church, Seven Kings, St John’s Road /Aldborough Road South, IG2 7BB: 9th - 10.00 am – 1.00 pm & 2.00 pm - 5.00 pm & 7.00 pm - 9.00 pm; 10th - 10.00 am – 1.00 pm & 2.00 pm - 5.00 pm; 11th - 10.00 am – 1.00 pm & 2.00 pm - 5.00 pm & 7.00 pm - 9.00 pm; 12th - 10.00 am – 1.00 pm & 2.00 pm - 5.00 pm.


• St Andrew’s Church, The Drive, Ilford IG1 3PE: 13th 10.00 am – 4.00 pm; 14th 12.00 noon – 4.00 pm; 15th 10.00 am –12 noon & 2. 00 pm – 4.00 pm; 16th 10.00 am –12 noon & 2. 00 pm – 4.00 pm.


• St Margaret’s Church, Perth Road/Balfour Road, Ilford , IG1 4HZ: 17th 10.00 am – 4.00 pm; 18th 10.00 am – 4.00 pm; 19th 10.00 am – 4.00 pm; 20th 10.00 am – 4.00 pm.


• The Vine Church, Riches Road, Ilford, IG1 1JH: 21st 10.00 am – 11.00 am; 22nd 10.00 am – 3.30 pm; 23rd 10.00am - 3.30 pm.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Martyn Joseph - One Of Us.

Advent reflections through art

The Advent Art Installation

The Advent Art Installation (detail)

Jonathan Evens and Henry Shelton

Henry Shelton and John Brown

The concept drawing and an early stage of creation

The old adage that you can’t create art by committee looks set to be proved wrong by the response to an art installation created for Advent by churches in the London Borough of Advent.

Initiated by Revd. John Brown, Priest-in-Charge of St Luke’s Great Ilford, the installation was created by a group drawn from the six churches in which the installation will be displayed throughout the Advent period. The original basis on which John brought the churches together was as follows:

“We decided to develop a mobile art project to be designed, executed and then displayed in the Ilford area from 1st to 24th December 2008. Our intention was that the installation would form the focal point in our churches for a place of stillness and reflection. The aim being to create a restful space that would enable Christians and non Christians alike to find a space, relax, reflect and be an alternative to the business that the Christmas period brings. It will enable our churches to be opened to the wider public and hopefully mean that they can discover a place of peace and quiet.”

The planning group that was established to progress the project began by pooling ideas for an installation on the theme of light that would be created as a tryptich on three large transportable panels. John Brown said that, “we chose the theme of light as a symbol that crosses faiths and cultures and therefore would have as wide an appeal as possible.” Ideas initially discussed included abstract or fragmented imagery using fragments of stained glass, holes in screens, mirrors, fabrics, lights, candles and water. From these initial beginnings ideas were explored through concept sketches and discussion of images drawn from a range of modern and contemporary artists.

From these meetings there rapidly emerged the final concept for an installation comprising three panels of mirrored perspex mounted on wooden backing panels. The mirrored surfaces are painted to an abstract design using differing textures and densities of paint while leaving unpainted areas forming the shape of a star and the repeated word ‘peace’. One of the key concepts of the artwork is that people will become a part of the installation by viewing themselves in these mirrored surfaces.

The installation was actually painted by artist Henry Shelton and myself, both members of the planning group. For Henry, it has been the first time he’s been part of a community project and he has found it “very interesting at the initial meetings and working on the project with the rest of the team.” It all goes to show that art can be created by committee and can, as Henry puts it, “provide a peaceful environment to reflect on the meaning of Advent amongst all the busyness of Christmas preparations.”

The dates for the Advent Art Installation as it tours Redbridge Churches during Advent are:

• St Luke’s, Baxter Rd, Ilford IG1 2HN - Dec 1-4
• St Alban’s, Albert Rd, Ilford IG1 1HS - Dec 5-8
• St John’s, St John’s Rd, Ilford IG2 7BB - Dec 9-12
• St Andrew’s, The Drive, Ilford IG1 3PE - Dec 13-16
• St Margaret’s, Perth Rd, Ilford IG1 4HZ - Dec 17-20
• The Vine URC, Riches Rd, Ilford IG1 1JH - Dec 21-24

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Bruce Cockburn - Lord of the Starfields.

Creating the Advent Art Installation

Today Henry Shelton and I painted the Advent Art Installation at St Luke's Great Ilford.

The Advent Art installation is a joint project involving six churches in the Greater Ilford area: St Alban's, St Andrew's, St John's, St Luke's, St Margaret's and the Vine Church. The Installation, which has been designed by a planning group with representatives from St John's, St Luke's, St Margaret's together with Henry, comprises three panels of mirrored perspex mounted on wooden backing panels and will be displayed in turn in the six churches during Advent.

One of the key concepts of the artwork is that people will become a part of the installation by viewing themselves in its mirrored surfaces. The project's aim is that the installation will form the focal point in churches creating a place of stillness and reflection that will enable Christians and non Christians to relax and reflect. Scatter cushions, candles and music will be used to create a contemplative environment around the installation.

Revd. John Brown, Priest in Charge of St Luke's Great Ilford and the initiator of the Advent Art Installation, says:

"The Advent Art Installation is a mobile art project being designed, executed and then displayed in the Ilford area from 1st to 24th December 2008. It will form the focal point in our churches for a place of stillness and reflection. The aim is to create a restful space that would enable Christians and non Christians alike to find a space, relax, reflect and be an alternative to the business that the Christmas period brings. It will enable our churches to be opened to the wider public and hopefully mean that they can discover a place of peace and quiet. We have chosen the theme of light as a symbol that crosses faiths and cultures and therefore would have as wide appeal as possible."

Henry Shelton says:

"It’s the first time I’ve been part of a community project. I’ve found it very interesting at the initial meetings and am looking forward to working on the project with the rest of the team. Our purpose is to provide a peaceful environment to reflect on the meaning of Advent amongst all the busyness of Christmas preparations. Real thanks are due to John Brown for his vision for the project."

The Advent Art Installation will be exhibited for the first time at St John's Seven Kings from 3rd - 5th October as part of their Patronal Festival art exhibition. This exhibition will also feature, together with the works of local and established artists, a set of Stations of the Cross by Henry Shelton that were exhibited last year at York Minister.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Gillian Welch, David Rawlings & Ricky Skaggs - By The Mark.