Christian Art – fallacy or fusion?

Jonathan Evens is running a course entitled 'Christian Art – fallacy or fusion?' as part of the Eastertide School in the Diocese of Chelmsford. The course aims to explore approaches to and understanding of the relationship between art and faith. 

In this course participants will explore approaches to engaging with and looking attentively at art in addition to exploring the history of art and faith plus definitions of Christian Art. As they do so, participants will also look at contemporary art exhibitions, public art and church commissions.

The Lent & Eastertide Schools are a collection of education, training and skills events across the Diocese of Chelmsford during Lent and Eastertide each year. A series of short courses running across the diocese between Ash Wednesday and Pentecost with a wide variety of themes and costing £15 per course.

'Christian Art – fallacy or fusion?' will take place on five Tuesday evenings beginning 9th April, then from 23rd April - 14th May at St John's Seven Kings (St Johns Road, Seven Kings, Ilford, Essex IG2 7BB). All are welcome to attend. For brochures and booking forms please contact: Liz Watson. Diocesan Office, 53 New Street, Chelmsford, Essex. CM1 1AT. Tel: 01245 294449, email: lwatson@chelmsford.anglican.org.

Eyes on Jesus

Christopher Clack and Jonathan Evens feature in a new Dutch book entitled Jezus voor ogen (Eyes on Jesus) with visual meditations and word and image Bible studies for Lent. The visual meditations have all featured previously on the ArtWay website and include the meditation which Jonathan Evens wrote on Christopher Clack's Descent II.

Marleen Hengelaar-Rookmaaker, who edited the book, writes:

"For us this book is a milestone that marks what ArtWay has been given to accomplish in the past two years. The book will hopefully function as a springboard to a new and broader audience, so that the website and its resources will be used by even more people and churches. We hope that an English version will be published next year.

In Jezus voor ogen the focus is on Jesus. While working on the book it struck me that images of Jesus can start to function as ‘models’ to us. In the book I expressed this as follows:

‘Jesus hangs on the cross as the image of the ideal human being. This is how humans are meant to be: full of love, obedient to the Father, willing to serve and suffer, resisting temptations, putting others above oneself. If we are honest, this is not really our idea of an ultimate hero. For this very reason it is of such great importance to keep on feeding ourselves with this and other images of Jesus. For deep inside of us live all kinds of other ideal images that drive us and that we bow to time and again, because they are our idols. Our ideal picture of our successful self: the slim figure, the imposing house, the fat car, the ideal partner, the golden job, the huge happiness. Christian art can replace these with new ideal images that can help us to become people of unified character: people whose inside corresponds with their outside, whose deeds rhyme with their words – people for whom Jesus on the cross is a source of inspiration for who they want to become and be.’"

Exploring the nature of Christian Art

Jonathan Evens gave the following talk about commission4mission and the nature of Christian Art at West Mersea Parish Church yesterday, as part of their Learning Supper:

commission4mission was launched in March 2009 by our Patron, the Bishop of Barking, to encourage the commissioning and placing of contemporary Christian Art in churches, as a means of fundraising for charities and as a mission opportunity for churches.

We aim to:

·          provide opportunities for churches to obtain and commission contemporary Christian Art for church buildings;

·          provide information, ideas and examples of contemporary Christian Art and its use/display within church settings; and

·          raise funds for charities through commissions and sales of contemporary Christian Art. 

In the short time that commission4mission has been in existence we have:

·          built up a pool of over 30 artists available for Church commissions;

·          completed 7 commissions;

·          organised 12 exhibitions, two Study Days and several networking events for members;

·          created an Art Trail for the Barking Episcopal Area;

·          worked in partnership with CANA and Veritasse to create an Olympic-themed art project – Run With The Fire; and

·          developed a blog profiling our artists and giving up-to-date news of our activities.

Why do we do what we do? I would want to say that there is a Trinitarian underpinning to what we do.

Firstly, that we are creative because we are made in the image of our Creator. On this topic Michael Hampel has written that:

"Theologians have chewed over the question about what it means to be made in the image of God for some 3,000 years, and it took a writer – a detective novelist indeed – to come up with the most useful answer. Dorothy L Sayers, never shy of cutting through the brambles of theology to talk realistically about God, took a close look at the verse in the Book of Genesis that claims God created humankind in his image (Genesis 1: 27). She spotted that all we know of God up to that point in the Bible is that he was somehow responsible for creation, and so she concluded that to be made in the image of God means that we are most like God when we are being creative. She set about working out how to apply this theory to the creative impulse in her most significant piece of popular theology The Mind of the Maker (1941), a book that still today has a lot to say to us about how we resist the culture of instant gratification that has been more destructive of humankind and its environment than any world war.”

Secondly, the Spirit gives skill to craftspeople (Exodus 35. 30 – 35). Mark Driscoll has said:

“Perhaps the finest artist to have lived was Bezalel, a godly man who made sacred art (Exodus 31-40). The first Spirit-filled man in the Bible, he was chosen by God to be skilled, knowledgeable and able to teach in all kinds of craftsmanship. Since God did not want to be worshipped outdoors like the pagan/pantheistic gods, God assigned Bezalel to build the tabernacle. Repeatedly we are told of the result of the Spirit's leading in his life, "he made…" To be biblically inspired is to make. Aristotle defined art as the capacity to make. Art is the making of anything, from a meal to a symphony.

Bezalel's art was where man met God since the very presence of God dwelt with his art.”

Similarly, Calvin Seerveld urges young artists to: “Make your paintings, poetry, sculptures, songs, photography, stories, theatre pieces, music, or whatever artistry: craft it as a psalm before the face and ear of the Lord and let your neighbour listen in. Join the progeny of David, Asaph, Bezalel and Oholiab (Exodus 31:1-11), even the descendents of Korah (Psalms 42-49), and make merry before the LORD God, God's people, and even one's antagonists (Psalm 23:5).”

Thirdly, God the Son was seen/made visible/re-presented in human flesh in Jesus (John 1. 1 – 18). The doctrine of the Incarnation - the belief that, in Jesus, God himself became a human being and lived in a particular culture and time – is a key reason why visual art has featured so strongly in Christianity right from the early stages of its existence. If God had chosen to be seen in human form, so the argument goes, then the representation of God in human form is surely sanctioned by that choice. This can be clearly seen in the iconoclastic controversy of the eighth century which led to the destruction of many images, as successive emperors in Constantinople tried to stamp out their veneration.

Rowan Williams has summarised the arguments of those who were the defenders of images. Their argument was firstly that “God became truly human in Jesus … And [that] if Jesus was indeed truly human, we can represent his human nature as with any other member of the human race.” Secondly, they argued that, “If we paint a picture of Jesus, we’re not trying to show a humanity apart from divine life, but a humanity soaked through with divine life … We don’t depict just a slice of history when we depict Jesus; we show a life radiating the life and force of God.”

Next, I would want to say that the Arts are in many ways foundational to all that occurs in Church. Very briefly, we can say that:

•     the Architecture of our churches provides a designed context and stage for the worship that occurs within them;

•     we re-enact Biblical narratives through the poetry of the liturgy;

•     music in church provides composed expressions of emotions and stories in and through song; and

•     images in churches re-tell Biblical narratives and open windows into the divine.

Finally, I would also say that the Arts contribute to the mission of the Church by:

•    speaking eloquently of the faith;

•    providing a reason to visit a church – something we have tapped with our Art Trail for the Barking Episcopal Area;

•    making links between churches and local arts organisations/ initiatives; and

•    providing a focus for people to come together for a shared activity.

These then are key reasons why, in commission4mission, we seek to encourage the commissioning and placing of contemporary Christian Art in churches. This then leads on to an obvious and controversial question, ‘What is contemporary Christian Art?’ or even is there such a thing as ‘Christian Art’?

Some people answer this question by saying that ‘Christian Art’ is art made by Christians but, if that is the answer to the question, then there is much that we are ruling out. Fernand Léger’s mural at Assy, Henri Matisse’s Chapel at Vence, and Le Corbusier’s Church at Ronchamp are some of the most interesting art works and architecture created for churches during the twentieth century and all were by artists who made no claim to be Christians. In fact, all these commissions came about because of an approach to commissioning art for churches which argued that Christian art could be revived by appealing to the independent masters of the time with churches commissioning the very best artists available, and not quibbling over the artists' beliefs. If all ‘Christian Art’ is art made by Christians then we rule all this out.

So, maybe, ‘Christian Art’ is art commissioned by the Church? Again, this seems too limiting a definition. For instance, Mark C. Taylor has noted that "From the beginning of modern art in Europe, its practitioners have relentlessly probed religious issues. Though not always immediately obvious, the questions religion raises lurk on or near the surface of even the most abstract canvases produced during the modern era.” “All of the major abstract expressionists,” he says, “were deeply interested in religion and actively incorporated spiritual concerns in their work.” He concludes that, “One of the most puzzling paradoxes of twentieth-century cultural interpretation is that, while theologians, philosophers of religion, and art critics deny or surpress the religious significance of the visual arts, many of the leading modern artists insist that their work cannot be understood apart from religious questions and spiritual issues."

Re-thinking again, is it art which uses Biblical/Church images, stories or themes? Once again, this is too narrow a definition which would not capture, for example, the images that the deeply Catholic Georges Rouault produced of prostitutes, which William Dryness has described as “painted as penetrating types of the misery of human existence” but with grace also seen as “divine meaning is given to human life by the continuing passion of Jesus Christ.” Nor would we capture the semi-abstractions created by the Evangelical Christian Makoto Fujimura who uses semi-precious minerals in the Nihonga style to create paintings that tend to only hint at recognizable subjects.

As a result of these difficulties in definition, some argue that ‘Christian Art’ is a meaningless category. From this perspective, and following the ideas of the art critic Clement Greenberg, it is argued that the artwork is what it is and everything else (including any element of Christianity) is interpretation. But if this is the case then the ideas and influences of the artist, the relationship that the artwork has with its historical and art historical context, and our own response to the artwork are all ruled out of the frame. The artwork is something entirely separate from these and yet each in different ways has interacted with and affected the artwork itself. Without these the artwork does not exist or is not seen.

To add to the complexity, here’s a poem in translation by the German kinetic sculptor Heinz Mack who has had much experience of trying to work in and with Catholic chapels in Germany:

“Church art is not always art.

Art that happens to be placed in church, is art in the church,

But not Church art.

Church art that is shown in museums, remains church art in museums.

Art for the Church is not always regarded as art by the Church.

The Church does not always want art.

Art is art without the Church.

Great Church art is art in the church and for the church.”

In seeking to encourage the commissioning and placing of contemporary Christian Art in churches, commission4mission is aiming to be about “art in the church and for the church.”

Why does it matter one way or the other? James Elkins has accurately described the current relationship between the art world and religion:

"Sooner or later, if you love art, you will come across a strange fact: there is almost no modern religious art in museums or in books of art history. It is a state of affairs that is at once obvious and odd, known to everyone and yet hardly whispered about ... a certain kind of academic art historical writing treats religion as an interloper, something that just has no place in serious scholarship ... Straightforward talk about religion is rare in art departments and art schools, and wholly absent from art journals unless the work in question is transgressive. Sincere, exploratory religious and spiritual work goes unremarked. Students who make works that are infused with spiritual or religious meanings must normally be content with analysis of their works' formal properties, technique, or mode of presentation. Working artists concerned with themes of spirituality (again, excepting work that is critical or ironic about religion) normally will not attract the attention of people who write for art magazines ... An observer of the art world might well come to the conclusion that religious practice and religious ideas are not relevant to the art world unless they are treated with scepticism. And that's odd, because there is a tremendous amount of religious art ..."

Essentially, if you are a Christian and an artist, the mainstream art world provides no points of reference, no role models for you to follow. Yet, as we heard Mark C. Taylor saying earlier, "From the beginning of modern art in Europe, its practitioners have relentlessly probed religious issues.” Timothy Potts has noted that “... the pervasiveness of broadly religious and spiritual themes in twentieth-century Western art may at first seem to stand in contradiction to the secularization of so many aspects of life and culture during our times.” But, when we catch a glimpse of the true extent to which the practitioners of modern art have relentlessly probed religious issues, we will not be surprised at this pervasiveness.

What is needed, as Daniel A. Siedell has suggested, is “an alternative history and theory of the development of modern art, revealing that Christianity has always been present with modern art, nourishing as well as haunting it, and that modern art cannot be understood without understanding its religious and spiritual components and aspirations.” When we have this young and emerging Christian artists will have role models and all of us can be nourished and haunted by the religious issues probed by modern and contemporary art.

The four facets of any artwork that I mentioned earlier can be used to explore the way in which modern and contemporary art probes religious issues. To see how this can work look, for example, at Andres Serrano's Piss Christ and think about your responses to each of the four facets of this artwork.

First, the nature of the artwork is that it is a 60x40 inch Cibachrome photograph of a small plastic crucifix submerged in urine. How do you respond to it? Responses often include comments on its beauty and the traditional nature of the image in addition to questioning whether the work is intended satirically.

Second, the ideas and influences of the artist in creating this piece included it being one in a series of classical statuettes submerged in fluids and a comment on the commercialisation of religion. How do you respond to it now? Responses often include questions about other statuettes in the series and about the artist's motivation in attacking the commercialisation of religion.

Third, in thinking about the artwork’s relationship with its historical and art historical context, we can see that the crucifix has an art historical lineage but is also a contemporary commercial religious product, so the work contributes to a debate regarding traditional and contemporary expressions of Christianity. How do you respond to it now? Responses often include a sense of agreeing that the work raises issues about the nature of images in religion.

Fourth, the response of viewer’s to this artwork has been twofold. There have been death threats to the artist, vandalism of the artwork and attempts to ban it from those who view it as an attack on Christianity. Alternatively, there are Christians who see it as a depiction of incarnation; of Christ coming into the detritus of life. How do you respond to it now? Responses often include the acknowledgement that the work stimulates a depth of debate because it works on several different levels.  

The work comes alive to us through the different layers of response we make to each facet of our consideration of the artwork and the debate this engenders. Each facet that we have considered involved an real engagement with aspects of Christianity, so we could therefore conclude that, however we responded personally, this is actually a deeply Christian work. Sustained reflection on artworks is what will lead us to a recognition of the spirituality and religious engagement inherent in much modern and contemporary art.

Perspectives on commissioning Christian Art

The programme for Commission For Mission's Study Day entitled 'Perspectives on commissioning Christian Art' has now been finalised.

The day will take place on Saturday 7th November at Chelmsford Cathedral (New Street, Chelmsford, CM1 1TY) from 10.00am – 2.30pm and comes at the end of Commission For Mission's showcase exhibition in the Cathedral (Monday 2nd - Saturday 7th November, Cathedral opening times).

The Study Day programme is as follows:

9.45am: Registration & refreshments
10.00am: Welcome & Introduction to Commission For Mission
10.20am: The Very Revd. Peter Judd, Dean of Chelmsford Cathedral – ‘Experiences of commissioning art for Church & Cathedral’
10.50am: Dr James Bettley, Chair of Chelmsford DAC – ‘Commissioning & the Faculty process’
11.20am: Three Commission For Mission artists to be interviewed about their experiences of commissioning
12 noon: Midday Prayers, Lunch break & Exhibition viewing
1.00pm: Q&A session involving Peter Judd, Dr. James Bettley & the three artists
1.45pm: Rt. Revd. David Hawkins, Bishop of Barking – ‘A Vision for the commissioning of contemporary Christian Art’
2.15pm: Q&A session with Bishop David
2.30pm: Close & Exhibition take-down

To book a place or for more information, contact Jonathan Evens on 020 8599 2170 or jonathan.evens@btinternet.com.

Martin Webster

Martin Webster is interested in promoting Christian Art as a form of engaging with the gospel. He paints (oils and acrylics) particularly 'sacred spaces' usually forest/landscape views. He is the Archdeacon of Harlow.

Henry Shelton

Henry Shelton is a noted painter of religious art in a contemporary style.

He trained as an apprentice draughtsman in a London studio developing his drawing skills in lettering and fine art. After 15 years he set up his own studio receiving many commissions to design for such clients as the Science Museum, Borough Councils, private and corporate bodies.

In recent years he has worked designing in studios across the world, including Hong Kong and the USA. Throughout this time he has painted Christian art and his commissions include an Ascension installed as an Altar piece in the Church of the Saviour, Chell Heath; the Millennium clock tower in Goodmayes and the memorial etched glass windows in All Saints Church, Goodmayes, depicting events in the life of Jesus. In 2007 he had a one man exhibition in York Minister depicting the Stations of the Cross. Most recently, he has completed commissions for St Lukes Chapel in Queens Hospital Romford and a contemporary set of Stations of the crown of thorns for St Pauls Goodmayes.

Henry is the Chair of commission4mission. An interview with Henry can be found by clicking here and here.

Rosalind Hore

Rosalind Hore is a sculptor and painter of Christian subjects – Christ figures, nativity sets, Ecce Homo, Stations of the Cross etc. She works in clay, plaster, concrete (figures can also be bronze cast at the foundry). Her paintings are mostly in acrylic of the events in the life of Christ. Her Pieta (pictured above) can be viewed at St Laurence’s Upminster.

Rosalind has been an art teacher throughout her working life, has taken part in the Cambridge Open Studios (creating a sculpture garden and art gallery at her home) and has led art groups and projects in the parishes where she has lived. She has a sculpture in the Bible Garden at St Mary's Goring-by-Sea, which she describes as follows: "As part of a parish mission called Stepping Stones, I decided to do something special and made a seated figure of Christ with his arms outstretched titled Come Unto Me. We put stepping stones in the grass leading up to him."

C4M's Pentecost Festival exhibition

Apocalyptic Landscape by Jonathan Evens

Station 3: Jesus Falling 1 by Henry Shelton

Christ by Rosalind Hore

Bursting through the Crown of Thorns by Harvey Bradley

The Pentecost Festival is a London weekend festival with hundreds of events celebrating diversity in the Christian faith: multi-culturalism, arts, politics, ecology, worship. Co-ordinated by Share Jesus International over the Pentecost weekend 26th - 31st May 2009, the festival is highly visible and takes place in the parks, coffee shops, bars, churches, clubs and theatres of central London. In 2008, the festival's inaugural year, the capital saw 10,000 people enjoy over 150 events at more than 60 venues and outdoor spaces.

Four Commission For Mission artists - Harvey Bradley, Jonathan Evens, Rosalind Hore and Henry Shelton - will be exhibiting at Central Hall Westminster as part of the Festival Feel section of the Pentecost Festival programme. Our exhibition will be taking place on Saturday 30th May from 12 noon to 6.00pm. In addition to our exhibition, Harvey Bradley and Henry Shelton will each give a painting demonstration. Click here for more details from the Pentecost Festival website.

Jonathan Evens

Mark of the Cross

I AM Love

Jonathan Evens paints in a symbolic expressionist style and has facilitated the involvement of churches in a range of public art projects. His arts journalism has featured in publications including 'Art & Christianity' and 'The Church Times'. He is also a creative writer (meditations, poetry, short stories, and a blog) and the Vicar of St John the Evangelist Seven Kings. Jonathan is the Secretary of Commission for Mission.

Jonathan's paintings can be viewed on the Veritasse website by clicking here. More information about all of Jonathan's creative projects can be found on his blog at: http://joninbetween.blogspot.com/.

Each week he posts a new photograph in his 'Windows on the World' series on his blog. Past images from this series (each of which feature a foreground object framing a background view to suggest the way in which we each see the world from a specific perspective while also simultaneously perceiving something beyond) can be viewed by clicking on the photographs tab in the blog index.

Michael J. Creasey

Spire, Gethsemene & Annunciation

All Saints & St Faiths Church, Childerditch

Michael J. Creasey is a largely self-taught artist, specializing in portraits and figurative work, mostly nudes. He also paints abstracts. He works primarily in acrylics, but also paints watercolours, and has recently returned to oils after a long break. He keeps up a regular regime of life-drawing, which he sees as central to his work.

Michael has exhibited locally in Havering and at the Mall Galleries and elsewhere, and has undertaken many portrait commissions. Though not primarily a religious artist, he has a wide knowledge of art history and is interested in the way art has been and should continue to be employed by the Church. Sutherland and Piper are important influences.

Though he sees his abstract works, of all his output, as most embodying a 'spiritual' dimension, he is at present working on more overtly religious subjects, as a result of his membership of commission4mission.

Michael says, "I am not especially a religious painter, as I mainly paint portraits and figure studies, but I do also paint abstract works which tap into emotional and spiritual aspects of my life and reflect my Christianity."

Harvey Bradley

Harvey Bradley writes:

"There is something exciting about taking dull, grey, ash from the burning of wood and using it on pottery, particularly porcelain, to form colourful glazed surfaces. To me this transformation process is meaningful. We use a jug for baptisms at our church on which the ash (symbol of repentance) after being fired to 1260 C has become a textural gold colour (an encouraging warm earthy gold). Colours like this can lift the spirit.

Over the years pottery has been my chosen craft. Increasingly however I like to draw and paint as well. Generally my pottery tends to be functional – mainly domestic, with some ecclesiastical ware. My paintings are more reflective and open to prayerful interpretation. My recent plans are to bring aspects of these artistic activities closer together – enjoying the colourful use of wood ash glazes on porcelain whilst producing Conte pastel studies ready for my oil painting on canvas."

Harvey’s creative work includes: Stoneware and Porcelain pottery; Oil Paintings; and Designs for church banners, altar frontals, candlesticks, baptistery tiles and ecclesiastical commissions of various sorts. His designs tend to be illustrative, reflective and open to prayerful interpretation.

Trained as a Designer, Harvey is a long standing and selected member of Anglian Potters – a prestigious association that exhibits members work in such venues as Ely Cathedral, All Saints (Jesus Lane) and Emmanuel College in Cambridge. As well as contributing to these, Harvey has recently shown work at Chichester Cathedral, Spring Harvest, New Wine and Greenbelt with the Christian arts group Veritasse. His work can be viewed on the Anglian Potters site by clicking here.

Grant funding for a catalogue & Study Day

Commission For Mission has recently been awarded funding by the London Over the Border Council to publish a catalogue of our artists, their work, and our activities and services in order to promote the commissioning and placing of contemporary Christian Art in churches as an opportunity for mission in the local community and as a fundraising opportunity for charities (as all commission4mission commissions involve a donation to a charity).

In our application we said that the visual arts can contribute to mission by: speaking eloquently of the Christian faith; providing a reason for people to visit a church; providing a link between churches and local arts organisations/initiatives; and providing a focus around which local people can come together for a shared activity.

The grant will also contribute towards the costs of holding a week-long Commission For Mission showcase exhibition (featuring the work of our artists) and a study day at Chelmsford Cathedral in November on the theme of commissioning art for churches. The Study Day will feature the Bishop of Barking, Dean of Chelmsford Cathedral, DAC Chair and commission4mission artists at Chelmsford Cathedral.

Commission For Mission

Welcome to the new site for Commission For Mission, an arts organisation that exists to encourage the commissioning and placing of contemporary Christian Art in churches, as a means of fundraising for charities and as a mission opportunity for churches.

Commission For Mission promotes the purchase of artworks by churches through donations given in memory of loved ones, with these people being commemorated in plaques placed (wherever possible) on or near the artwork itself.

Membership of Commission For Mission is open to any Christian artist (of any discipline) or supporter of Christian Art. Commission For Mission members pay an annual subscription and for this receive: a vote in organising committee elections; places on co-mission events/ conferences; and promotion of their work to churches through co-mission’s activities.

The fees for all artwork (of whatever type and media) sold to churches through Commission For Mission are determined using the following:

• a charge for materials/expenses claimed by the artist in creation of the work;
• an optional fee to the artist for the creation of the work;
• a contribution towards the work of Commission For Mission; and
• a donation to a charity or charities.
  

Commission For Mission’s objectives are to:

• provide opportunities for churches to obtain and commission contemporary Christian Art for church buildings;
• provide information, ideas and examples of contemporary Christian Art and its use/display within church settings; and
• raise funds for charities through commissions and sales of contemporary Christian Art.
  

As a result we are involved in:

1. Creating a database of members able to create artworks for churches.
2. Promoting an approach to the commissioning and placing of contemporary Christian Art in churches as a means of fundraising for charities.
3. Organising conferences, exhibitions, meetings, seminars, visits etc. to provide information, ideas and examples of contemporary Christian Art and its use/display within church settings.
4. Displaying member’s work through brochures, exhibitions, leaflets, websites etc.

Previously online information about Commission For Mission has been posted at Between. To see earlier posts covering our launch, members, patron etc click here.