Comments on: Creative role models

By: Jonathan Evens

Jonathan Evens — Fri, 18 Jan 2008 11:18:28 +0000

I’m sure you’re right about the Spirit helping us to recognise work that has spiritual resonances. I think too that as we immerse ourselves in scripture we then start to notice phrases and images around that have biblical origins and links. In fact, my Bishop once organised a public art event in Leeds that worked on just that basis and which put biblical phrases in common usage on the streets in unfamiliar places and ways. The following link takes people to an interview with Bishop David in which he talked about the project (http://www.chelmsford.anglican.org/assets/docs/files/themonth/TM%20july%2007.pdf). On my blog (http://joninbetween.blogspot.com/) I regularly post material about artists of all types whose work has synergies with Christianity and also lead courses on finding faith in popular culture (see http://joninbetween.blogspot.com/2008/01/lent-eastertide-courses.html0.

By: Sue

Sue — Fri, 18 Jan 2008 09:14:55 +0000

Wow! You do know a lot about painters! I am really impressed!
(Please excuse me if I fail to explain this next thought very clearly.)
I have an idea that the Holy Spirit within us recognises and is drawn to spiritual expressions in things we come across. From what you say, Bonnard was a spiritually aware person with values in line with the Bible, even if not actually a Christian. Of the artists I came across when I did my A-level, his was the work that attracted me most. In a similar way, I was drawn to the song “If you’re not the one” by Daniel Bedingfield (though not a great chart follower!) and did not realise that he was a Christian until after I was given his album for Christmas.
If this attraction of Spirit to Spirit is true, even when the content is not obviously Christian, this has a lot to say about artwork we produce that is not “Christian”. It means that people who God is calling will be attracted to and spoken to by all our artwork. A really interesting thought!

By: Jonathan Evens

Jonathan Evens — Wed, 16 Jan 2008 23:02:13 +0000

Bonnard is a really interesting example. His work is frequently written about in terms of spirituality with the saturated areas of colour in his work being compared to the colour fields of Mark Rothko. The work of both painters has been viewed, because of this saturation and luminescence of colour, as having a spiritual or transcendent quality. In terms of content, his focus on domestic interiors and domestic relationships is synergous with a biblical focus on family life. Finally, as a Nabi (Hebrew for prophet) he was a close friend and colleague of committed Catholic artists such as Maurice Denis, Paul Serusier and Jan Verkade.

By: Sue

Sue — Tue, 15 Jan 2008 15:09:48 +0000

This topic makes me feel rather ignorant, as I know so little about artists in history, and of Christian artists even less (except the Veritasse ones, of course!) I think I will have to do some art courses.
I admire the work of Bonnard- some wonderful colours and textures- but I am not aware of any obvious Scriptural references in his work. Sorry for being able to add so little to the topic!

By: Russell McKane

Russell McKane — Fri, 19 Oct 2007 05:02:12 +0000

Jan Vermeer for his truely reformational vision. Australian artist Warren Brenninger - a painter in the OT prophet mould who’s work calls to account the world and its sin.
Russell