A broad range of visual art — paintings, fabric and textile work, photographs and sculpture — has been chosen for a new online exhibition by Episcopal Church & Visual Arts (www.ecva.org) focused on “The Jesus Movement: Loving, Liberating, Life-Giving.”
The theme of the exhibition, launching on the website in mid-May, mirrors that of this summer’s General Convention. The 40 curated works by the artists also will be displayed digitally during the convention in Austin, Texas, from July 5-13.
“Presiding Bishop Michael Curry refers to our church as the ‘Episcopal branch of the Jesus Movement,’ making clear that we Episcopalians are part of the larger work of what God is doing in our world,” wrote Frank and Virginia Logue of Savannah, Ga., curators for the exhibition, in their draft call to artists earlier this year.
After choosing the art, they wrote in April that the artists whose works constitute the exhibition “worked beyond the limits of language to inspire, provoke and challenge us to see our world anew.
“All the art in this exhibition continues the vital contribution artists offer the church as they share afresh the ‘Loving, Liberating and Life-Giving’ gospel in which all are connected to their creator and none are left out.”
“Jesus” by Victoria Logue (the exhibition’s theme logo)
Victoria Logue is an author and photographer. She and her husband, Frank, wrote the Lenten series of meditations for Forward Movement’s book, “Are We There Yet? Pilgrimage in the Season of Lent.” She is a Tertiary in the Third Order, Society of Saint Francis.
She wrote: “When I saw this statue of Jesus with a flower in his hand, it evoked the image of his anticipation of my arrival in his kingdom — scanning the horizon as he awaits my homecoming, flower in hand, an offering of love. But I don’t have to die to receive this love, as his love for me is there any time I seek it, although the loving, liberating, and life-giving ‘Jesus Movement’ continues into the kingdom to come.”
“Lux Mundi” by Kerri Jones
Kerri Jones, a native of the Pacific Northwest, is a fabric mosaicist. Her interest in mosaic art, she said, began while visiting historic sites in Greece and Turkey. This later resulted in a creative collaboration of her interests in fabrics, apparel design and construction, historic costume, liturgical vestments and fine art.
She wrote about her work: “As ‘Light of the World,’ this piece is symbolic of the triune God. Central in the image is Jesus the Son, Christ the King from whom all blessings flow, raising his hand in priestly benediction; behind the Son are rings of the eternal, immortal, invisible God the Father; emanating from the Father burn flames of unquenchable fire of the Holy Spirit.”
“Soul of the City” by Joy Jennings
Joy Jennings said she entered into the world of art through dance, taking what she learned from the study of dance and choreography and applying it to her paintings. She enjoys painting landscapes, especially scenes from France, where she once studied, and scenes from New Orleans, which is near her home. She has used her training as a spiritual director and as a diocesan worship leader to lead workshops and quiet days on art and spirituality. Painting in oils is another path to prayer for her, she said.
Of her painting, she wrote: “What can be more liberating and life-giving than to join a second line in the streets of New Orleans? The heartbeat of the city can be felt as you follow behind the jazz band and dance through the streets. My painting depicts the unique way that the people of St. Anna’s Episcopal Church in New Orleans celebrate being a part of the ‘Jesus Movement’ as they ‘second line’ [parade] through the streets of New Orleans on Palm Sunday.”
“Knocking on Heaven’s Door” by C. Robin Janning
C. Robin Janning lives in northeast Georgia. “Art is my daily practice, my meditation, my yoga, and sometimes my prayer,” she said. About this artwork, she reflected “Liberated by love, we all stand at heaven’s door…”
“This Victorious Sign” by Tobias Stanislas Haller (Based upon a photo by Robert Hendrickson from Christ Church, New Haven, Ct.)
Tobias Stanislas Haller is a priest serving in the Diocese of Maryland. He is a member of the Brotherhood of Saint Gregory.
He wrote: “Worship is the beginning of the church’s mission. It is from the worship space that the worshiping people of God are sent out, empowered by the Spirit, to do the work of God in the world. They go forth under the banner of the cross, borne by ‘each newborn servant of the crucified.’”
