The Visitor and Reaching Beyond

The Visitor, by Smith and Moore, is a small, sturdy sculpture which draws its inspiration from the ancient Jewish story of the Burning Bush. This tells of a trigger moment when a device (the Burning Bush – see Exodus chapter 3, verse 2) led to liberation from slavery. This device, The Visitor, seeks to stimulate people to reach beyond existing expectations, boundaries and relationships.

Some people find contemporary art remote. The Visitor was made to be touched, handled, moved around and photographed. It is not exactly a flame, a leaf, or an eye. That is the point; what you see or think or feel is what The Visitor is for you.

From early 2012 The Visitor has been on an uncharted journey via churches and other organisations through five London boroughs (Greenwich, Hackney, Newham, Tower Hamlets and Waltham Forest)  with photographs, videos, poems or notes of what happens being posted at http://www.reachingbeyond.co.uk/ and due to be used in the Reaching Beyond exhibition along with the Visitor, if it survives the journey!

The Reaching Beyond exhibition at Bow Road Methodist Church (2 Merchant Street, London E3 4LY) will include the work of about twenty artists, with works in various forms including paintings, icons, sculptures, mosaics, cartoons and fabrics. The works will be augmented week-by-week with the winning works of the young people’s art competitions and the poetry competitions. Admission free. Normal opening hours 12 noon to 6.00 pm Monday to Saturday. 23 July to 1 September 2012.

Reaching Beyond is coordinated by Colloquy, an art and theology project which is part of the Methodist Church. The group has an inclusive remit, and welcome involvement from people of all faiths and none. We are very pleased to be able to provide information about this exciting project as a result of recent contact with Colloquy.