Emma Crichton Miller has an interesting piece on art and spirituality at aeon magazine. She suggests that "we continue to seek in art ... a correspondence with [our] oceanic feelings" and "a soothing of our hunger for transcendence" but the salvation art offers is now "without substance or destination."
The miracle found in art, she suggests on the basis of a statement by Mark Rothko, is creative resolution while there is perhaps "no more to be said about painting’s seductive offering than [Gerhard] Richter’s tentative statement to the American curator and critic, Robert Storr: ‘A painting can help us think something that goes beyond this senseless existence’.
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Jon Foreman - Broken From The Start.
Saturday, 1 June 2013
Metropolis: Reflections on the modern city
The Ikon Gallery, in partnership with Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery and The New Art Gallery Walsall, aim to establish a new and ambitious international collection of contemporary art for Birmingham and the West Midlands region, using the theme ‘Metropolis: reflections on the modern city’.
Metropolis, which is currently on show at the Gas Hall in Birmingham, presents visions of life in modern cities around the world. With approximately 50 works in various media including digital projection, painting, sculpture, photographic installation and video art, it considers themes such as architecture, movement and consumerism, as well as the marginalised people and places of the metropolis.
Metropolis is the largest public exhibition of this nationally significant collection which includes work by 25 major artists from India, China, Europe and the USA such as Miao Xiaochun, Zhang Enli and Grazia Toderi. ARTicle 14 by internationally renowned West African artist Romuald Hazoumè is on display as is Mohamed Bourouissa’s powerful and significant Périphérique series – translated from the French as both ‘peripheral’ and ‘ring road’ – which offers a cast of young, mostly male, characters, each scene reflecting a carefully staged moment of physical or emotional tension set in the bleak housing estates that encircle Paris. In addition, German artist, Christiane Baumgartner has been commissioned to make new work, specifically about the urban landscape of Birmingham.
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Kraftwerk - Metropolis.
Spiritual Life: To dance around one another in relationship
Here is my Spiritual Life column for the current edition of the Ilford Recorder:
Explaining the idea of the Trinity - three persons, one God - has always been a challenge to priests and preachers. The shamrock is one favourite illustration - three leaves, one stem - as is water - two parts hydrogen and one part oxygen forming one entity which can be a liquid, a solid and a gas.
My favourite image, though, is not of the form of the Trinity but of its dynamism and dynamic. That image is of a dance as the Greek word for the relationship of Father, Son and Holy Spirit - perichoresis - means ‘to dance around one another in relationship.’ Dance partners interact “within a rhythm which remains the same but in a continuous variety of movements.” At its best, you have people totally in tune with one another for the period of that dance.
This is what the united relationship of Father, Son and Holy Spirit is thought to be in the Christian faith and it means that at the very heart of God is a dynamic relationship in which a constant exchange of love is underway. We could call it the dance of love. Being in relationship with God means, for the Christian, being drawn into that constant, eternal exchange or dance of love. Jesus describes this when he says that he is in the Father and the Father in him. He then extends that same relationship to others too - I am in you and you are in me.
To really know love, Christianity suggests, we must be drawn into the dance of love which Father, Son and Holy Spirit share and which is at the very heart of God.
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Leonard Cohen - Dance Me To The End Of Love.
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Leonard Cohen - Dance Me To The End Of Love.
The Venice Biennale - a place where you can speak
Micol Forti is the curator of the Vatican's first pavilion at the Venice Biennale. The Holy See is participating for the first time with an exhibition in the Sale d'Armi, a series of spaces the Biennale has restored and converted into permanent pavilions.
Charlotte Higgins reports in today's Guardian that Forti, who is also the curator of 19th-century and contemporary art in the the Vatican museums, thinks that involvement in the biennale is a significant opportunity for the Roman Catholic church. "It's very important for the Holy See to be here: it's a different situation where you can create a space for a dialogue with different ideas, different ideological thinking, different religions," she said. "Here at the biennale, it is not important where you are from: the only important thing is that there is a place where you can speak."
In commissioning for the Pavilion, they had deliberately steered clear of work that engaged directly with Catholic themes or imagery, she said. "For Cardinal Ravasi, it is very important to distinguish between religious and liturgical artwork and that which engages with spiritual ideas. The Sistine chapel is a church: it contains completely revolutionary artworks but it is still a church.
"[The Holy See pavilion] is not a church; this is a completely different context. We respect this context: it is a place for international art from different contexts, philosophies, culture and religions."
Forti said that she and the selection committee for the pavilion "never asked the artists whether they believed or not. We started from the topic of the exhibition: for me it was important that there was intellectual honesty, a clear path in the artists' thinking."
The Holy See pavilion takes the first 11 books of Genesis as its starting point. Its title – Creation, Uncreation, Re-creation – hints at ideas "fundamental for culture and for church tradition", according to Cardinal Gianfranco Ravasi, the president of the pontifical council for culture and the figure behind the Holy See's appearance at the biennale.
Three rooms of works take on the themes in turn: interactive videos by the Milanese collective Studio Azzurro focus on creation; then come stark images of man's destructiveness by Czech photographer Josef Koudelka. Paintings hinting at hope and renewal by American Lawrence Carroll complete the lineup.
Higgins has also written about another work at the Biennale which connects to religious themes; Ai Weiwei's SACRED. Situated in the church of Sant'Antonin, it consists of six large iron boxes, into which visitors can peek to see sculptures recreating scenes from the artist's detention. Here is a miniature Ai being interrogated; here a miniature Ai showers or sits on the lavatory while two uniformed guards stand over him. Other scenes show him sleeping and eating – always in the same tiny space, always under double guard. (The music video refers to some of these scenes with a lightly satirical tone that is absent from the sculpture.)
According to Greg Hilty of London's Lisson Gallery, under whose auspices SACRED is being shown, and who saw Ai in China a week ago, the work is a form of "therapy or exorcism – it was something he had to get out. It is an experience that we might see as newsworthy, but for him, he was the one in it."
The ecclesiastical setting, the title of the work, the appearance of the metal crates (which might resemble a reliquary or saint's coffin) suggest that Ai is positioning himself as a martyr. According to Hilty, however, "He is not pretending to be a saint, but the setting does suggest things such as the stations of the cross, or the temptations of St Anthony, to whom the church is dedicated. But these are human, universal things that go beyond Ai Weiwei … he's not saying he's a saint, or that he is wholly right or good. He's just being honest."
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Ai Weiwei - Dumbass.
Charlotte Higgins reports in today's Guardian that Forti, who is also the curator of 19th-century and contemporary art in the the Vatican museums, thinks that involvement in the biennale is a significant opportunity for the Roman Catholic church. "It's very important for the Holy See to be here: it's a different situation where you can create a space for a dialogue with different ideas, different ideological thinking, different religions," she said. "Here at the biennale, it is not important where you are from: the only important thing is that there is a place where you can speak."
In commissioning for the Pavilion, they had deliberately steered clear of work that engaged directly with Catholic themes or imagery, she said. "For Cardinal Ravasi, it is very important to distinguish between religious and liturgical artwork and that which engages with spiritual ideas. The Sistine chapel is a church: it contains completely revolutionary artworks but it is still a church.
"[The Holy See pavilion] is not a church; this is a completely different context. We respect this context: it is a place for international art from different contexts, philosophies, culture and religions."
Forti said that she and the selection committee for the pavilion "never asked the artists whether they believed or not. We started from the topic of the exhibition: for me it was important that there was intellectual honesty, a clear path in the artists' thinking."
The Holy See pavilion takes the first 11 books of Genesis as its starting point. Its title – Creation, Uncreation, Re-creation – hints at ideas "fundamental for culture and for church tradition", according to Cardinal Gianfranco Ravasi, the president of the pontifical council for culture and the figure behind the Holy See's appearance at the biennale.
Three rooms of works take on the themes in turn: interactive videos by the Milanese collective Studio Azzurro focus on creation; then come stark images of man's destructiveness by Czech photographer Josef Koudelka. Paintings hinting at hope and renewal by American Lawrence Carroll complete the lineup.
Higgins has also written about another work at the Biennale which connects to religious themes; Ai Weiwei's SACRED. Situated in the church of Sant'Antonin, it consists of six large iron boxes, into which visitors can peek to see sculptures recreating scenes from the artist's detention. Here is a miniature Ai being interrogated; here a miniature Ai showers or sits on the lavatory while two uniformed guards stand over him. Other scenes show him sleeping and eating – always in the same tiny space, always under double guard. (The music video refers to some of these scenes with a lightly satirical tone that is absent from the sculpture.)
According to Greg Hilty of London's Lisson Gallery, under whose auspices SACRED is being shown, and who saw Ai in China a week ago, the work is a form of "therapy or exorcism – it was something he had to get out. It is an experience that we might see as newsworthy, but for him, he was the one in it."
The ecclesiastical setting, the title of the work, the appearance of the metal crates (which might resemble a reliquary or saint's coffin) suggest that Ai is positioning himself as a martyr. According to Hilty, however, "He is not pretending to be a saint, but the setting does suggest things such as the stations of the cross, or the temptations of St Anthony, to whom the church is dedicated. But these are human, universal things that go beyond Ai Weiwei … he's not saying he's a saint, or that he is wholly right or good. He's just being honest."
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Ai Weiwei - Dumbass.
Measuring National Well-being
The latest review of the domains and measures of national well-being have recently been published and can be found by following the link below:
http://www.ons.gov.uk/ons/rel/wellbeing/measuring-national-well-being/domains-and-measures---may-2013/review-of-domains-and-measures-of-national-well-being.html
This article is the latest in the ongoing refinement of measures from the Measuring National Well-being programme and ONS would like your feedback.
Key changes include:
Feedback is particularly welcomed on:
The next release of measures is scheduled for Autumn 2013. In order for feedback to be incorporated into this next release, responses are required by Weds 31st July.
Send feedback to the following email or postal address:
Email: nationalwell-being@ons.gsi.gov.uk
Measuring National Well-being, Room 2.164,
Office for National Statistics,
Government Buildings,
Cardiff Road,
Newport,
South Wales, NP10 8XG.
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The Specials - A Message To You Rudy.
http://www.ons.gov.uk/ons/rel/wellbeing/measuring-national-well-being/domains-and-measures---may-2013/review-of-domains-and-measures-of-national-well-being.html
This article is the latest in the ongoing refinement of measures from the Measuring National Well-being programme and ONS would like your feedback.
Key changes include:
- Addition of five new measures reflecting: arts and culture, participation in sport, access to services, satisfaction with accommodation and household recycling.
- Removal of three measures namely satisfaction with leisure time, trust in parliament and air pollutants PM10.
- Renaming the 'Individual well-being' as 'Personal well-being’
- Making the need for measures to be available for the UK ‘aspirational’, to prevent important components of well-being being excluded on the basis of data availability.
Feedback is particularly welcomed on:
- Changes made to the criteria used to select the measures.
- The change in domain name from ‘individual well-being’ to ‘personal well-being’.
- The measures which have been added.
- The measures which have been removed.
- Any suggestions for further variants on the measures which could be more appropriate.
The next release of measures is scheduled for Autumn 2013. In order for feedback to be incorporated into this next release, responses are required by Weds 31st July.
Send feedback to the following email or postal address:
Email: nationalwell-being@ons.gsi.gov.uk
Measuring National Well-being, Room 2.164,
Office for National Statistics,
Government Buildings,
Cardiff Road,
Newport,
South Wales, NP10 8XG.
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The Specials - A Message To You Rudy.
Art in the Heart
Birmingham and the West Midlands have quietly been making their mark on the contemporary arts map. Art in the Heart is a celebration of the diverse and exciting exhibitions taking place across the West Midlands during 2013.
From May to December you can see work by amazing artists from Botticelli and Rembrandt to Damien Hirst and Quentin Blake in a variety of venues, from Jacobean and Georgian mansions to contemporary art galleries and even a Planetarium! Running alongside this calendar of exhibitions is a specially commissioned poetry programme, containing a series of public workshops led by Poet in Residence Philip Monks.
The Art in the Heart site gives an easy reference guide to all of the 23 venues taking part and a glimpse of some of the amazing exhibitions you can see.
It highlights the strengths of the region’s world class art collections and its innovative contemporary programmes, many underpinned by national and international partnerships to bring art of the highest quality to the Heart of England.
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The Moody Blues - Dawning Is The Day.
From May to December you can see work by amazing artists from Botticelli and Rembrandt to Damien Hirst and Quentin Blake in a variety of venues, from Jacobean and Georgian mansions to contemporary art galleries and even a Planetarium! Running alongside this calendar of exhibitions is a specially commissioned poetry programme, containing a series of public workshops led by Poet in Residence Philip Monks.
The Art in the Heart site gives an easy reference guide to all of the 23 venues taking part and a glimpse of some of the amazing exhibitions you can see.
It highlights the strengths of the region’s world class art collections and its innovative contemporary programmes, many underpinned by national and international partnerships to bring art of the highest quality to the Heart of England.
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The Moody Blues - Dawning Is The Day.
New Contextual Theology Centre website
The Contextual Theology Centre (CTC) equips churches to engage with their communities: to understand and enter more deeply into the communities where God has placed them; to discern and respond to his presence and action, and so to engage in faithful and effective witness.
CTC have recently launched a new website. As well as containing courses and resources for use by local congregations and small groups, the website also has details of events to which you are warmly invited, such as our bi-monthly community Bible study. Visit the website by clicking here.
A monthly emailed update is also available to inform you about their work, tell you about their events, resources and projects and highlight some of their partner congregations and organisations.
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Alice Cooper - I Am Made Of You.
CTC have recently launched a new website. As well as containing courses and resources for use by local congregations and small groups, the website also has details of events to which you are warmly invited, such as our bi-monthly community Bible study. Visit the website by clicking here.
A monthly emailed update is also available to inform you about their work, tell you about their events, resources and projects and highlight some of their partner congregations and organisations.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Alice Cooper - I Am Made Of You.
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