ArtWay

Quality is the first norm for art, but its final norm is love and truth, the enriching of human life, the deepening of our vision.

NEWS SPRING 2024

A LIST OF CURRENT EXHIBITIONS, SYMPOSIA AND LECTURES, PODCASTS, VIDEOS, BOOKS, ARTWAY NEWS, AND MORE
 
VESSEL: AN ART TRAIL IN REMOTE RURAL CHURCHES
8 August – 31 October 2024 | Black Mountains, UK
Vessel is a curated art trail in remote rural churches near the Black Mountains between Usk and Hay-on-Wye. Seven artworks by seven artists will be shown in seven churches, six of which are maintained by the Friends of Friendless Churches who keep them open all year round. The theme of ‘vessel’ references bodies, boats, secretions and receptacles; each of the artworks will be sited in a particular relationship to the church and its material culture.
 
'HINTS AND REVELATIONS': RADIUS FESTIVAL OF FAITH AND DRAMA 2024
Saturday 12th October 2024 | Cambridge, UK
The day includes a directing master class with two professional actors exploring the religious themes of Shakespeare's The Tempest.  Also a dramatization of John Betjeman’s poetry, A Hint of the Unknown God by Rex Walford, who was a writer and actor in Cambridge. These poems explore Betjeman's fascination with matters religious, both with the human spirit – its hopes, fears and solaces – and with the Church as an institution. Lunch is also provided.
 
EXHIBITION: SAILING TO BYZANTIUM
29 June – 13 August 2024 | Brisbane, Australia
Sailing to Byzantium blends the sacred art of the Early Renaissance and Byzantine periods with themes from William Butler Yeats' poem. Hosted at historic St John's Anglican Cathedral in Brisbane, this collection of recent paintings and sketches invites you on a journey through faith, history, and artistic expression. The opening night (11 July) will feature classical music performances by Amalia Safonov (vocalist and flautist) and Artemii Safonov (pianist and composer).
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KESWICK UNCONVENTIONAL
27th July - 2nd August 2024 | Keswick, UK
The third week of the Keswick Convention, ‘Keswick Unconventional’, focuses on the arts week and ACG members Stewart Henderson and Kaori Homma will be contributing. Stewart and his wife Carol, along with Yvonne Lyon will be giving a music and spoken word performance as part of a series of lunchtime concerts. Kaori Homma and Alastair Gordon will be leading an art workshop on Thursday 1st August.
More Info
 
REVD JONATHAN EVENS’ ART DIARY ON ARTLYST
Revd Jonathan Even’s is a regular ArtWay contributor. His July art diary includes exhibitions at Fitzrovia Chapel, Ingleby, The Gallery of Everything, Yorkshire Sculpture Park, Cristea Roberts Gallery, The Parsonage Gallery, Wellhouse Gallery, The Fry Art Gallery, Focal Point Gallery, Newlands House Gallery and the Holt Festival which include work by Hayley Barker, Anna Zemánková, Bharti Kher, Miriam de Búrca, Leonora Carrington and Michael Petry, among others. These exhibitions engage with an extensive range of spiritualities, some seeking to reverse long-held perceptions.
 
STEWART HENDERSON / KAORI HOMMA
27th July - 2nd August 2024 | Keswick, UK
Keswick Unconventional The third week of the Keswick Convention, ‘Keswick Unconventional’, focuses on the arts week and ACG members Stewart Henderson and Kaori Homma will be contributing. Stewart and his wife Carol, along with Yvonne Lyon will be giving a music and spoken word performance as part of a series of lunchtime concerts. Kaori Homma and Alastair Gordon will be leading an art workshop on Thursday 1st August
More Info
 
ART & CHRISTIANITY ANNUAL RETREAT
13 - 15th September 2024 | Abergavenny, Wales
A&C’s annual retreat will be set in the beautiful area of the Black Mountains around Monmouthshire and Herefordshire. The weekend will comprise of walks, talks and an art trail curated by Jacquiline Creswell exploring the theme of ’Vessel’. The Rev Cannon Jarel Robinson-Brown will be giving a lecture entitled ‘Living Stones: Buildings, Bodies and Spirit’.
 
THREE THINGS NEWSLETTER
Three Things’ most recent newsletter, curated by former L’Abri workers Phillip Johnston and Andy Patton, considers the questions of what redemptive AI might look like.
EIN BILDERBOGEN AUS DER SAMMLUNG LÄNDE: VON HIMMEL, ERDE UND DEM DAZWISCHEN
 30 June – 25 August 2024 | Lindau, Germany
Ein halbes Jahrhundert lang ist in der Gemeinde Kress- bronn die Kunst der Gegenwart präsent. Die Ausstellung „Von Himmel, Erde und dem Dazwischen“, kuratiert von Ulrike Kremeier, Direktorin des Landesmuseum Branden- burg für moderne Kunst, möchte auf dieses Jubiläum aufmerksam machen: Als Gruppenschau zielt sie darauf ab, Werke von jenen sechs Künstlern, deren Oeuvre in Einzelausstellungen im Jahr 1974 in Kressbronn gezeigt wurden, aufzugreifen und zu kontextualisieren.
 
PRAYING WITH ART SERIES
The Jesuits in Britain have posted the Praying with Art series consisting of 23 entries and commentary by Geoff Wheaton SJ.
 
CHICAGO SACRED MUSIC CONCERT & CONFERENCE
3 August 2024 | Chicago, USA
Early in the history of the Church, Augustine and Boethius provided us a framework by which to discern the objective reality of beauty. How can we understand and discern Beauty via this framework, and how has the Catholic sacred music tradition pursued this "Musica Universalis" since its inception? A presentation titled "The Golden Tapestry: Spiritual Orientation of the Catholic Sacred Music Tradition" at St. John Cantius Parish Hall presented by Composer Dr. Mark Nowakowski and Richard Childress will address this question.
 
INTERVIEW WITH JOSH TIESSEN
During his retrospective exhibition "Creation Longs" at Wycliffe College/University of Toronto, a video crew from the Canadian Bible Society came to document the show. He was interviewed by veteran journalist Lorna Dueck (Globe & Mail, Yes TV) about how Scripture informs his artistic practice and environmental stewardship. He also discussed the importance of beauty and imagination for the contemporary church. 
Watch Video
Listen to podcast version
 
NEW BOOK: INSIDE THE RAINBOW VOL III
By Pieter Kwant
Having immersed himself over many years in reading every commentary he can find on Revelation, and picking up his teenage hobby of painting, Pieter Kwant here retraces the process whereby John first “saw” Revelation before writing it down, now moving from (biblical) text to image. This volume covers chapters 8-11. More Info
 
SUMMER EDITION OF ART + CHRISTIANITY
The Summer issue of Art and Christianity includes an exclusive interview with the Turner-Prize nominated artist Andrea Büttner, exhibition reviews and much more. Join now to receive your copy. 
 
THE SACRED ART PRIZE 2024: CALL FOR ENTRY
Deadline: 1 Nov ’24 | London, UK
The Catholic Art Institute is seeking the finest contemporary sacred art for their annual juried competition and exhibition. The Sacred Art Prize reaches a world-wide audience and offers the opportunity for finalists to showcase and sell their work. The first prize is $2500, second prize $750 and third prize $250, with several honourable mentions. 
 
REUNITED: THE LAMENTATION ALTARPIECE
21 March ‘24 - 28 February ‘25 | Compton Verney Art, UK
For the first time in thirty years, a rare masterpiece will be reunited. Bringing together the central panel from The National Gallery of Scotland’s collection, with the original wings in Compton Verney’s collection, the magnificent Lamentation Altarpiece dated c. 1515, will take center stage in the Northern European collection of Compton Verney. 
 
INAUGURAL MCDONALD AGAPE LECTURE IN THEOLOGY + BOOK PRESENTATION
9 July 2024, 6-8pm | London, UK
Neil MacGregor (former director of the National Gallery and British Museum) and Jonathan Ruffer (founder of The Auckland Project) discuss the role of museums, old and new, in curating the public understanding of Christianity and stimulating conversation about art and religion in a contemporary society. The lecture will be followed by a Book Launch: Theology, Modernity and the Visual Arts, eds. Ben Quash & Chloë Reddaway (Brepols), and a drinks and canapés reception for everyone attending. 
 
EMBODIED FAITH AND THE ART OF EDWARD KNIPPERS, A THEOLOGY AND ARTS SYMPOSIUM
20-21 September, 2024 | Charlotte, NC, USA
This symposium will gather pastors, artists, educators, art historians, theologians, art appreciators, and others to explore the dynamics of embodiment in the life of faith and in the paintings of Edward Knippers. The symposium will also feature an original dance performance in response to Knippers’ body of work as well as a participatory drum circle. The Knippers exhibit will include over two dozen works, including several of his large-scale works that have never been displayed publicly.
 
BOOK: THE BIBLE IN PHOTOGRAPHY BY SHEONA BEAUMONT. What do photographs say about faith? How have the places, people, and ideas of the Bible filtered into photographic vision? Photography was born and grew up in the increasingly secular West, and has become the ubiquitous visual language of our time: we have never invested more in the truth of its images. Yet understandings of how we practice belief in the medium are lacking. This book explores the spiritual depths of visual realism through the lens of biblical imagination. A wealth of photographers, publishing contexts, and theorists such as Roland Barthes and John Berger reveal the religious dimensions of photographic looking – from credulous, to critical, to sceptical. The changing faces of Christendom are seen through an interested lens. The Bible is exposed as contemporary visual theology. Publication dates: UK – 22nd February 2024, US – 2nd May 2024,  ANZ – 27th June 2024. Read more here.
 
BOOK REVIEW ON ARTWAY: Nigel Halliday reviews Jeremy S. Begbie’s Abundantly More:The Theological Promise of the Arts in a Reductionist World. Halliday writes: “The book is … a call for greater use of the arts in church and in our personal lives.  Works of art are not divine revelation. But listening to Bach’s Inventions, pondering Caravaggio’s Supper at Emmaus or reading a poetic reflection can help us to experience Biblical truth in ways that are real, rich and more powerful than simply reading words on paper. For, as Begbie argues, experiencing things in our bodies is a real form of knowledge, and imagination is a God-given faculty by which we can extend our understanding.” Read the full review here.
 
THE ARTISTIC SPHERE OUT NOW! – The Artistic Sphere. The Arts in Neo-Calvinist Perspective, Edited by Roger D. Henderson and Marleen Hengelaar-Rookmaaker, published by IVP- Academic. Among Reformed churches, the Neo-Calvinist tradition—as represented in the work of Abraham Kuyper, Herman Dooyeweerd, Hans Rookmaaker, and others—has consistently demonstrated not just a willingness but a desire to engage with all manner of cultural and artistic expressions. This volume, edited by art scholar Roger Henderson and Marleen Hengelaar-Rookmaaker, the daughter of art historian and cultural critic Hans Rookmaaker, brings together history, philosophy, and theology to consider the relationship between the arts and the Neo-Calvinist tradition. With affirmations including the Lordship of Christ, the cultural mandate, sphere sovereignty, and common grace, the Neo-Calvinist tradition is well-equipped to offer wisdom on the arts to the whole body of Christ. Read more
 
BOOK REVIEW ON ARTWAY – Book review of James Tughan: CONTACT: The Artistry of Jesus in Nine Faces. Oakville, ON: Nadir Publishing, 2023. ‘In his book James Tughan asks us to consider the idea that Jesus was first an artist before He was anything else. The premise of this book in its art and its words is that in all His interactions with His creation, and the persons in it, in all our successes and failures, His artistry is clearly evident. However, it is previously unlimited artistry that not only is humbled within human limitation, but which passes through the experience of trauma.  The biblical story is one of overcoming it to reinvigorate the creation and artistry itself.’ Read more
 
INTERVIEW WITH CALVIN SEERVELD IN PORTUGUESE. ArtWay has just published an interview with the philosopher Calvin Seerveld. The interview is conducted in Portuguese and translated by an interpreter. See the interview here
 
JONATHAN EVENS DISCUSSES ANTONY GORMLEY. Antony Gormley Explores Self-Awareness in White Cube Bermondsey – Revd Jonathan Evens on ArtLyst. Read More
 
PORTUGUESE TRANSLATION OF THE ARTICLE “IMAGES FOR GOD THE FATHER” BY MARLEEN HENGELAAR-ROOKMAAKER. “God is spirit. God is a mystery. He is awe-inspiringly exalted and at the same time unimaginably loving. How can we ever comprehend Him with our small human intellects? How can we ever get to know Him and learn to live with Him? That would not be possible without the Bible, where God reveals himself to us in stories and images…” In this article, now available in Portuguese, Marleen Hengelaar-Rookmaaker discusses ways in which God the Father has been depicted in art, and considers the Bible as a profound source of images. Read the Portuguese translation here, and the original English version here
 
THE MOUNTAIN RETREAT, REST, CREATIVITY, GOOD PEOPLE, AND YOU. AN EXPERIENCE OF HIMALAYAN REST, CREATIVITY, AND CONNECTION FOR CREATIVE PROFESSIONALS IN INDIA. Art for Change runs a series of weeklong and weekend retreats for you to immerse yourself in nature, find rest, create and connect with like-minded others, and discover a renewed sense of purpose. Curated by Art for Change with over 14 years’ experience running artist residencies, each Mountain Retreat is open to cohorts of 3-7 creative professionals based in India. Set among stunningly beautiful views in the exclusive Landour neighbourhood of Mussoorie, the Mountain Retreat is a transformative experience designed for you to step away from the busyness of life, experience creative community, reflect and learn from nature, and find creative ideas and solutions for life and work. Think of the retreat as a creative vacation that honors the needs of mind, body and soul. Apply online here.
 
ARTWAY BLOG. Jonathan Evens interviews David Miller on his work and the “interrelation, symbiosis and overlap” between writing and visual art. Noted UK poet, fiction writer, painter, and musician, David Miller was born in Melbourne, Australia, but has lived in the UK for many years. His recent publications include Time, Wisdom, & Koalas (Chax Press, 2023), a work of fantastic fiction, and (close) (Knives Forks and Spoons Press, 2023), a deeply moving sequence of poetry and prose. A prolific writer, other recent publications include: Afterword (Shearsman Books, 2022), circle square triangle (Spuyten Duyvil, 2022), An Envelope for Silence (above/ground press, 2022) and Some Other Shadows (Knives Forks and Spoons Press, 2022). Read more 
 
BIOGRAPHY ABOUT GWEN JOHN – God’s Little Artist by Sue Hubbard is a biography in verse of Welsh painter Gwen John (1876-1939). As with many female painters of the time, John’s work was often overshadowed by that of her male contemporaries, especially her brother Augustus John. God’s Little Artist is a celebration of her passionate life and work, illustrated with precision, authenticity and the keen painterly eye of the poet, novelist and art critic Sue Hubbard. In her introductory essay, Sue Hubbard discusses how the loss of Gwen John’s mother when she was a child could have impacted her later life. She was an intensely private person, with a tendency to become fixated on people and relationships, as shown in the two thousand letters she wrote to Rodin over thirteen years, and, later, in her intense commitment to her faith. For John, God and art became inextricably linked and saintliness an obsessive goal. Read more 
 
PODCAST OF INTERVIEW WITH CANADIAN ARTIST BETTY SPACKMAN – In this interview in Radix, Betty shares with us some of her thoughts on the importance of art in general, common misconceptions that are held about it, what it means to be creative (and she thinks we all are), as well as some ideas on how Christians can meaningfully assist in helping the arts to flourish. Also—and this is important—Betty believes in the power of kindness and hospitality, and you’ll hear it come through in the interview. Read more