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Honouring God’s Creation

Flowers in Church

One decorative item that plays an important atmospheric role in liturgical contexts is the floral arrangement.  Natural flowers and plants have long been associated with celebrations of the liturgy – Eucharist, weddings, funerals – as well as devotions associated with the Blessed Virgin Mary and the Blessed Sacrament.  This tradition sits well with influential voices such as Pope Francis; his encyclical Laudato Si’ has called for a renewed appreciation for the natural world as God’s gift, a blessing that is vital for our common, human life but also one that is vulnerable to misuse. Continue reading “Honouring God’s Creation”

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RON MUECK: Life and Death

Over the last twenty-five years, Australian artist, Ron Mueck (b. 1958), has become well-known for his hyper-realistic sculptures, generally of the human figure either much larger or smaller than life size. Every hair is painstakingly inserted in an eyebrow or a stubbly beard. Whether it is an enormous boy or pregnant woman, whether it is a miniature image of his dead father laid out naked, the sculptures create a sense of awe, wonder and contemplation in the viewer. Continue reading “RON MUECK: Life and Death”

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GAIA, Earth

by Luke Jerram

The mighty sphere of the earth rotates slowly, suspended under the gothic arches of St Paul’s Cathedral in Melbourne.  Seven metres in diameter and internally lit, it has been created to scale by Luke Jerram from detailed NASA imagery of the earth’s surface. (It is 1.8 million times smaller than the real earth.) Continue reading “GAIA, Earth”

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STORYTELLING IN PAINT

Queenie McKenzie and the Spirit of Mary MacKillop

Art in our churches is generally quite static.  The way art is used in aboriginal communities is often very different.  The Creation or Gospel story will be painted and then the work of art is used in the liturgy or in the classroom to proclaim the scriptures.  The artist holds the painting and tells the story as shown in the painting.  For this example we return to Warmun (see George Mung Mung, Mary of Warmun on this website).  We turn to one of Australia’s most well-known and respected aboriginal artists, Queenie McKenzie (c. 1915–1988).  This work was painted in 1994 at the time of Mary MacKillop’s beatification.

Continue reading “STORYTELLING IN PAINT”

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SACRED HEART CATHEDRAL, BENDIGO

Windows for God’s LightWindows for God’s Light

During two thousand years of Christianity, one of the more identifiable ‘archetypal’ forms of ecclesiastical architecture is that of the Gothic cathedral.  The term ‘Gothic’ in relation to architecture is associated with light, due to a number of influential structural and stylistic features, namely, pointed arches, ribbed vaults and flying buttresses which stabilised the structure.  These lessened the need for masonry walls and enabled the insertion of large, stained glass windows. Continue reading “SACRED HEART CATHEDRAL, BENDIGO”

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THE SCANDAL OF BARE FEET

The Religious Art of Jan Hynes

Jan Hynes is a contemporary artist living and working in Townsville, Queensland.  She has painted many gospel stories in bright modern colours setting them in Townsville: in the Visitation, Mary and Elizabeth meet over coffee and mudcake; the Nativity is set, not in a stable, but in a service station with Joseph shown as a tradie and Mary carrying the shopping (see detail, left); she shows the adoration of the Magi on the Strand with Jesus being pushed in a stroller.  Rooted in the local, Hynes situates the bible scenes in her neighbourhood on the coast of Queensland.  Images of local plants, birds, and views of Magnetic Island establish a distinctively Australian context for us to rethink the gospel narrative. Continue reading “THE SCANDAL OF BARE FEET”

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THE SACRED ART OF THE ICONOGRAPHER

The traditional art of making an icon is an exacting process requiring much skill and knowledge that can only be acquired over a long period of dedicated commitment to the art.  The method that aligns best with the essence of the icon is classical painting with egg tempera, a technique of unknown origins from deep within the ancient world.  Adopted and perfected by the icon painters of the early church in Byzantium, the technique has been passed down almost without change to be employed by the few icon painters in our age whose practice remains true to the tradition. Continue reading “THE SACRED ART OF THE ICONOGRAPHER”

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CREATOR GOD AND CREATION

The Art of William Robinson

Standing awestruck before a mountain, [the mystic] cannot separate this experience from God, and perceives that the interior awe being lived has to be entrusted to the Lord. “Mountains have heights and they are plentiful, vast, beautiful, graceful, bright and fragrant.  These mountains are what my Beloved is to me.  Lonely valleys are quiet, pleasant, cool, shady and flowing with fresh water; in the variety of their groves and in the sweet song of the birds, they afford abundant recreation and delight to the senses, and in their solitude and silence, they refresh us and give rest.  These valleys are what my Beloved is to me.” Continue reading “CREATOR GOD AND CREATION”