|
|
A major exhibition series celebrating 150 years of Christian charity
BibleLands' ministry in the Middle East, is to visit Worcester Cathedral
following successful events at St. Paul's and Canterbury Cathedrals
earlier in the year.
The exhibition features contemporary interpretations on the theme,
Presence - Images of Christ for the Third Millennium.
It runs from 29th of March to 23rd of April, is one in a linked series
of different events taking place in six cathedrals throughout Britain
during 2004.
In
Worcester, Presence features The seven last words from the cross,
a collection of paintings by Martin Rose depicting Jesus' last words
before he died.
There will also be a performance of Haydn's Seven Last Words by
the world renowned Lindsay Quartet, as part of a special service
of meditation for Palm Sunday.
After Easter, Presence continues with a further exhibition of new
work by four contemporary artists exploring both the resurrection
and ascension of Christ.
In addition to Iain McKillop's moving series from the empty tomb
to Pentecost, the exhibition includes Ascension Day by Mark Cazalet,
who also designed the millennium window for the Cathedral.
The
Dean of Worcester Cathedral, the Very Reverend Peter Marshall, said;
"It is both a searing grace and also a healing blessing for
us to be allowed to exhibit these works.
"Artists, through their works, have the language to speak to
all people of a truth where others fail.
"We hope all that come to view or listen will encounter a love,
naked and inexplicable, yet so real in its presence that the future,
as it unfolds, will be lived in hope and trust."
Art
and faith
In his introduction to the guidebook that accompanies the series
of exhibitions, the Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr Rowan Williams,
outlines his personal views of the historical relationship between
art and the Christian faith.
"Some of the history of Christian art is about the tension
between recognising that the change associated with Jesus is incapable
of representation and recognising that for the change to be communicable
it must in some way be represented."
|