'Deconstructing c o n f l i c t' and the Church Times

Among the news items in today's edition of the Church Times is a photo from our Deconstructing c o n f l i c t exhibition at Chelmsford Cathedral. The photo shows 'Statistic Death', one of Maciej Hoffman's large, dramatic works which graphically depict the reality of suffering and pain caused by conflict.

commission4mission in Harlow

Two of our newest commission4mission artists - Ross Ashmore and Hayley Bowen - will be exhibiting with us for the first time in our Harlow exhibition, as part of the Barking Episcopal Area Arts Festival and the Heart 4 Harlow Festival.

The exhibition will also feature work by Harvey Bradley, Elizabeth Duncan Meyer, Jonathan Evens, Ken James, Mark Lewis, Caroline Richardson, Henry Shelton, Joy Rousell Stone and Peter Webb.

This exhibition will be a pop-up exhibition in a vacant shop in Harlow Town Centre. The exhibition will run from 23rd to 27th May, 10.00am - 4.00pm, at 20 Broadwalk, Harlow CM20 1HT. There will be a lunchtime reception during the exhibition on Saturday 25th May from 1.00 - 3.00pm, which has been timed to follow on from the art talks taking place at St Paul's Harlow that same morning.

c4m members are also making several other contributions to the Festival. Mark Lewis will speak on the work of John Piper as part of a morning of art talks at St Paul’s Harlow on Saturday 25^th May. Bishop Stephen Cottrell will also speak on the ‘Christ in the Wilderness’ paintings of Stanley Spencer. 

On Monday 27^th May Colin Burns and Jonathan Evens will be contributing music and poetry to a performance evening at Holy Trinity Hatfield Heath which will also include music from the Holy Trinity and 6 Villages Choir plus Sheering Church brass band and poetry from Jane Grell, Mal Grosch and Jenny Houghton.

The Barking Episcopal Area Arts Festival is an initiative which began in 2011 and involves quality events from a variety of Arts genre as a way of embracing and celebrating performing and visual arts and engaging with the local communities, their people and arts culture. The Festival is organised annually but in a different part of the Episcopal Area each year and in parallel with an already established community arts festival within the Area. This third Festival runs parallel to the Heart 4 Harlow Festival. 

Other events included in the Festival programme are:

• Photographic Exhibition - Wednesday 22nd May - Wednesday 5th June (except Sundays), Weekdays 10am - 12noon, Saturdays, 10am – 5pm, St Paul’s Harlow, College Sq, Harlow CM20 1LP. Exhibition by Harlow Seniors Photographic Group.  
• Heart 4 Harlow Festival Launch – Thursday 23rd May, 6pm, Water Gardens Harlow CM20 1WG. Launch by the Chair of Council Maggie Hulcoop & a Beatles tribute band. 
• Schools Art - Weekdays 9am - 4.45pm, Gibberd Gallery, The Water Gardens, College Square, Harlow CM20 1WG. Artwork by local schoolchildren.

• Korban – Friday 24th & Saturday 25th May, 7.30pm, Harlow Playhouse, Playhouse Square, Harlow CM20 1LS. From the producer of the critically acclaimed 2011 Private Peaceful comes an original telling of the life of Jesus, with drama, dance and music. A large cast of actors and musicians deliver a newly envisioned portrayal of the revolutionary's remarkable story.
• Village Fair of visual arts – Saturday 25th May, Water Gardens Harlow. Organised by the Harlow Arts Council as the beginning of their month long Art Festival. 
• Live stage entertainment – Saturday 25th May, Water Gardens Harlow. Featuring local bands, choirs, soloists & dancers. Plus Charity Stalls in Broad Walk, Children’s Fun Fair in the Market Square & Open Week – end at the LeisureZone. 
• Art Talks & Run with the Fire digital exhibition – Saturday 25th May, 10am – 5pm, St Paul’s Harlow. Lectures on the painter Stanley Spencer by Bishop Stephen Cottrell (10.30am) and on John Piper by Mark Lewis (11.45am). Refreshments from 10.00am. Digital art exhibition on Olympic/Pentecost themes showing from 10am – 5pm.

• Flower Festival – Saturday 25th May, 10am onwards, St Mary’s Church, Hatfield Broad Oak CM22 7HG . Includes: Celebrity grand opening (10am); Car boot sale (am); Farmers’ market (am); Hog roast; School choir singing (11am); Parachuting teddies (11.30am); Dog show (1pm pedigree classes, 3pm novelty classes); Variety of stalls; Wood turners; Activities with artist in residence Pauline Brakspear; and Children’s activities.
• Big Lunch & Community Praise – Sunday 26th May, Various Harlow Town Centre venues. Bouncy castle and Games from 12.15. Lunch from 1 pm. 
• Flower Festival – Sunday 26th May, afternoon only, St Mary’s Church, Hatfield Broad Oak. Includes: Festival lunch in the marquee (tickets can be purchased in advance, tel 01279 718281); Afternoon tea and cakes; Organ music (church is open from 2pm); Art exhibition and sale. 
• Flower Festival – Monday 27th May, 10am onwards, St Mary’s Church, Hatfield Broad Oak. Includes: 10km road race (11am) (to register, visit www.hbo-10k.org.uk); Children’s 1 mile fun run (12.30pm); Barbecue (with pre-race bacon butties); Crafts market; Wood turners; Variety of stalls; Activities with artist in residence Pauline Brakspear; Harlow Falconry display; Kung fu demonstration; Children’s activities; Grand raffle draw (pm). 

Those visiting Harlow for the Festival are likely to also be interested in its other artistic attractions. Sited throughout Harlow is a collection of sculptures of national significance. In the main squares and precincts, in numerous public buildings and at several schools, sculptures by artists, both famous and lesser known, are to be found. The Gibberd Gallery houses the impressive Frederick Gibberd Collection of 20th Century British Watercolours and Drawings as well as staging temporary exhibitions and community displays. The Gibberd Garden was created by Sir Frederick Gibberd, the planner of Harlow New Town, who designed the garden and filled the grounds with sculptures, ceramic pots and architectural salvage. 

The Gallery at Parndon Mill has become a focus for the artists who have studios at Parndon Mill, and for those who work further afield. Gatehouse Arts has two galleries with a changing programme of exhibitions and events, promoting the work of resident artists and local community groups. Harlow Playhouse is a leading theatre venue providing a wide range of entertainment. 

c4m at the Arts Festival for the Barking Episcopal Area

commission4mission will be mounting an exhibition using a shop unit in the Harvey Shopping Centre Harlow from Thursday 23rd to Monday 27th May as part of the Barking Episcopal Area Arts Festival and Heart 4 Harlow Festival. Also in the Festivals will be art talks by Bishop Stephen Cottrell (Stanley Spencer) and Mark Lewis (John Piper) plus a performance evening at Holy Trinity Hatfield Heath which will include a range of local musical contributions plus music from Colin Burns and poetry from Jonathan Evens, Mal Grosch and Jane Grell.

The exciting programme for the Barking Episcopal Area Arts Festival also includes the premiere of Korban – a new play on the life of Christ; Art talks; Art and photographic exhibitions; Flower Festival (Hatfield Broad Oak); Music and poetry evening (Holy Trinity Hatfield Heath); and Big Lunch and Community Praise, among other events.

Caroline Nina Phillips

Liminality

Deeper

The urban landscape has been a source of fascination, inspiration and a recurring theme throughout the work of Caroline Nina Phillips. Observational drawings and camera snapshots of the local urban environment are used as starting points for these layered, painterly works. Particularly favoured focal points are construction sites; building works; passageways and stairways. Noticeably, the chosen places are those which could be easily overlooked. It is through experiencing; looking; recording and reflecting upon such particular spaces, that Caroline Nina captures their existence and essence.

Many of the paintings are suggestive; openings entice as barriers block. Stairwells guide the viewer’s gaze from one implied space to another – beyond the physical boundary of the painting. Attracted to specific spaces that offer this potential for imagining; Caroline Nina Phillips contemplates what can be seen and the possibilities of what remains unseen. Features fascinate and draw her in with their depth and intensity. Captivated by the real, raw, gritty surfaces and atmosphere of many of the places she chooses to paint, Caroline Nina aims to evoke such qualities through her diverse colour choices and expressive, textural handling of the paint.

Oils are scraped, layered, removed; smeared, worked and reworked again and again- indicative in many ways of the process of building; of time passing; of ageing; deterioration; breaking down and of revival; reconstruction; of turning something old; damaged or worn, into something new.

Private View: 'Incarnation'

commission4mission's South London launch took place tonight at a well attended Private View for our Christmas exhibition entitled 'Incarnation'. We were encouraged by the interest shown by all who came both in the conversations that took place and in the works that were sold. 

The exhibition, which had curated by Wendy McTernan, can be seen at Wimbledon Library Gallery (1st floor, Wimbledon Library, Wimbledon Hill Road, London SW19 7NB) and includes the work of 16 artists in media including ceramics, fused glass, paintings and photography. The exhibition continues until Saturday 8th December, 9.30am - 7.00pm (2.00pm on Saturday) with access through the Library. A second Private View will be held tomorrow from 6.30 - 9.30pm. All are welcome.

Those exhibiting are Harvey Bradley, Colin Burns, Christopher Clack, Ally Clarke, Valerie Dean, Elizabeth Duncan-Meyer, Jonathan Evens, Ken James, Sarah Ollerenshaw, Caroline Richardson, Janet Roberts, Francesca Ross, Henry Shelton, Sergiy Shkanov, Joy Rousell Stone and Peter Webb.

In launching commission4mission in South London, Jonathan Evens, c4m's secretary, said the following:

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;

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

·                    completed of 10 commissions;

·                    organised 13 exhibitions, two Study Days, three art workshops, several performance and networking events for members;

·                    created an Art Trail for the Barking Episcopal Area;

·                    worked in partnership with two other arts organisations (Christian Artist’s Networking Association & Veritasse) to create an Olympic-themed art project – Run With The Fire; and

·                    published several sets of images and meditations primarily with a Lenten or Passiontide focus.

We seek to be a proactive organisation for both the artists and the churches with which we work. For our artists we regularly provide information updates and networking opportunities as well as actively promoting their work through our blog, events and exhibitions. This ensures that they feel connected to one another and the wider faith and arts scene as well as benefiting from the support and ideas of fellow members. For churches, we actively provide opportunities to think about the possibility of commissioning contemporary art by seeing and considering the work of our artists and by suggesting ways to overcome some of the barriers which sometimes seem to stand in the way of new commissions such as finances and the differing tastes of church members. 

Why do we do what we do? Fundamentally, 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. That, as Dorothy L. Sayers reminded us in her book The Mind of the Maker, to be made in the image of God means that we are most like God when we are being creative. Secondly, that it is the Holy Spirit who gives skill to craftspeople and artists. The first Spirit-filled man in the Bible, Bezalel, was chosen by God to be skilled, knowledgeable and able to teach in all kinds of craftsmanship. So, to be biblically inspired is to make. Thirdly, that because God became truly human in Jesus we can represent his human nature as with any other member of the human race. So 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.

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, we 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.

I would like to end with a poem 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.”

Photographing community relations

Click here to view Mark Burton's beautiful photographs documenting the recent visit of the Archbishop of Canterbury to Leytonstone. Mark will be the main exhibitor at St Barnabas Walthamstow for the E17 Art Trail 2012 during the first three weekends of September.
On June 7th the Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr Rowan Williams, visited St Andrews Church and Shri Nathji Sanatan Hindu Mandir in Leytonstone. He had come to hear about initiatives from the Near Neighbours programme, which bring people of different faiths together.

Mark was invited to photograph the day by the Forest Women’s Interfaith Network. Like many grass roots leaders, they work tirelessly behind the scenes to create a web of relationships that bind our community together.

During the day he was enormously impressed by Dr Williams saying he had never seen anyone work a room like he did – not a hand was left unshaken and he made time to make sure there were a few words and a warm smile for everyone.

Forthcoming events and exhibitions

Our Study Day on the value of public art will be at St Paul's Harlow (http://www.stpaulsharlow.org.uk/) on Saturday 17th September from 10.00am - 5.00pm.

Speakers at the event include the Rt. Revd. David Hawkins, Bishop of Barking, and Benedict Read, Visiting Research Fellow, School of Fine Art, University of Leeds, Trustee Harlow Art Trust, Deputy Chairman Public Monuments and Sculpture Association. Benedict has published and lectured on British sculpture since 1974. Presentations during the day include 'The value of public art to Harlow' and 'The spiritual value of public art'.

Participants will also be able to tour the Gibberd Gallery (to see the John Mills retrospective & the Frederick Gibberd Collection of British watercolours and drawings - http://www.visitharlow.com/places-to-visit--things-to-do/art-galleries,-theatres-and-live-music/the-gibberd-gallery) and Harlow Town Centre's sculptures (http://www.visitharlow.com/places-to-visit--things-to-do/harlow-sculpture-collection/the-collection). Local participants will take part in an art workshop led by commission4mission members, Robert Enoch and Jonathan Evens, designed to contribute to new artwork at St Paul's Harlow. The day will end with a cream tea at St Mary's Parndon.

To register for the Study Day contact tel: 020 8599 2170 or email: jonathan.evens@btinternet.com. There is no charge for this event. For more information see http://commissionformission.blogspot.com/.

c4m exhibition

commission4mission members will be exhibiting at St Mary Magdalen Billericay (http://www.billericaychurches.org/html/st_mary_magdalen.html) from 9th - 18th September (10.00am - 5.00pm), as part of the A127 Art Trail (http://www.a127trail.com/). Our exhibition will feature work by work by Harvey Bradley, Colin Burns, Jonathan Evens, Mark Lewis, Elizabeth Duncan Meyer, Caroline Richardson, Henry Shelton and Joy Rousell Stone. Work by Vin Harrop can also be seen at the same venue.

Stations of the Cross

Three commission4mission members - Valerie Dean, Rosalind Hore and Henry Shelton - have completed series of Stations of the Cross and would be interested to discuss the possibility of these being located in local churches. To discuss this possibilty further and to see images from each series, please contact tel: 020 8599 2170 or email: jonathan.evens@btinternet.com. The series by Henry Shelton is being exhibited as part of the E17 Art Trail this month (see below).

Members' exhibitions

c4m associate, Rev. Steven Saxby writes: "The E17 Art Trail programme is just out. Once again we have a wide selection of top quality work at St Barnabas Walthamstow (Venue 76 - http://www.saintbarnabaswalthamstow.co.uk/) and some excellent work, including Henry Shelton's Stations of the Cross, coming into St Saviour's Walthamstow (Venue 77 - http://www.saintsaviourswalthamstow.co.uk/). The link for the programme with all the listings for both churches and all other venues is http://www.e17arttrail.co.uk/index.php?page=97&name=Exhibition.

Work being shown at St Barnabas this year includes banners, cartoons, flower arrangements, jewellery, photograms, photographs, silver. Artists include: Rebecca de Quin, Lorraine Huddle, Lano, Louise Loder, Anna Newson-Lyons, Sean Pines, J.A. Saxby, Kirsten Schmidt, Sandra Shevlin, Simplystems, Paul Tucker. St Saviour's will also show paintings by Elizabeth Pell and soft sculptures by Harriet Hammel.

The Tokarska Gallery (http://tokarskagallery.co.uk/), run by c4m member Nadiya Pavliv Tokarska, is also taking part in the E17 Art Trail. Cognitive Congestion is a group show featuring: Allen Browne, Punk Recruit, Fiona McGregor, Patrick O'Sullivan, and Nadiya Pavliv-Tokarska. This exhibition continues until 11 September, 12 noon – 7.00pm. 12p

Two c4m members - Michael Creasey and Peter Webb - have works in the forthcoming exhibition by the National Association of Painters, Sculptors & Printmakers (http://www.nationalsociety.org/) at the Menier Gallery, Ground Floor, Menier Chocolate Factory, 51 Southwark Street, London SE1 1RU.  The exhibition runs from September 14th to 24th (11.00am - 6.00pm), and the private view is on the 14th September, from 5 to 8.30pm.

Jonathan Evens will be showing a specially shot set of photographs - taken in and around St Paul's Harlow - from my Windows on the World series at St Paul's Harlow during the Study Day there on 17th September. From 8th - 22nd September a selection of my paintings and photographs will be on show in the c4m exhibition space at All Saints West Ham (http://www.westhamchurch.org.uk/). 

Clorinda Goodman has two pieces in the Wanstead Art Trail (11th - 25th September 2011 - http://www.artgroupwanstead.com/01/art_trail_wanstead_2011.html). 'Eagle beset by hound' is a drawing in sanguine chalk which can be seen in the gallery at the George Pub, while 'Head of Aurora' will be displayed in St Mary's, Wanstead Park.

Artist's update

Robert Enoch's latest work has been a Pentecost Installation at St Mary's Hemel Hempstead (see first photo above). He and Jonathan Evens will lead services at St Paul's Harlow (where Robert created an Easter installation) on Sunday 3rd July as part of ongoing work which commission4mission is undertaking with the church and which is intended to lead to a Study Day on Saturday 17th September exploring the value of public art.

Elizabeth Duncan Meyer is showing in Take Five, a mixed show at the Piers Feetham Gallery of work by Duncan Meyer, Maurice Moeri, Suzanne Osborne, Minna Fry and Maureen Sweeny until this coming Saturday. The show includes paintings, prints, sculpture and glasswork.

Jonathan Evens has a solo show in the commission4mission space at All Saints West Ham until 21st July (church opening times, see church website for details). He is showing a selection of photographs from his Windows on the world series plus his Broken journey, fragmented story installation (see photos 2 - 5 above). His show will be at All Saint's throughout their West Ham Festival, which includes concerts, a gala dinner, exhibitions and a range of other events and services. Other work due to be shown during the West Ham Festival can be seen in photos 6-8 above, including paintings by Chandrakumar Sukumaran.

Tokarska Gallery news

The current exhibition at the Tokarska Gallery is Guest & Volunteers: Photographs by Mark Burton until 18 June.
These new, large-scale portraits by Mark Burton provide a rare glimps inside the Crisis Rough Sleepers Centre in London, which operates during Christmas each year. Cameras are usually banned from the Centre, but as a long-term volunteer Mark was given permission to capture a series of portraits depicting guests and volunteers.

The images portray the dignified and respectful relationships that develop at the Centre. This series of work also challenges perceptions of homelessness: the subjects removed identifying name badges or wristbands, often making it unclear who is the guest and who is the volunteer.

The Gallery is also organising a juried open exhibition of children's drawings in two categories: JUNIOR LEAGUE - 6-9 years old, and APPRENTICE LEAGUE - 10-15 years old. The 12 finalists selected in each League will have an exhibition of their work at Tokarska Gallery and a monetary prize of £50.00, £25.00 and £10.00 for first, second and third place respectively. A Private View and Award Ceremony will be held on 14 September (6-8pm) and the exhibition will run from 15-22 September.

The deadline for applications is 5 August 2011 and the competition is open to any child resident in Waltham Forest. To apply, send a selection of (3-6) drawings by your child by post to Tokarska Gallery: Drawing the Culture Competition, 163 Forest Rd, Walthamstow, London E17 6HE with a £5.00 cheque made to UKUA Express Limited. More information is available from web: http://www.tokarskagallery.co.uk/, tel: 0208 531 5419 / 07800545550; and email: info@tokarskagallery.co.uk.

commission4mission will exhibit at the Tokarska Gallery in December.