The Church Buildings Council of the Church of England will launch their Guide on Commissioning New Art for Churches today (Wednesday, October 19, 2011) at St Stephen Walbrook, London (EC4N 8BN), to encourage parishes to embark on the adventure of commissioning new art for their churches.
Much of the information in the guide is aimed at parishes, but it will also provide an insight for artists and other interested parties. It is not only promoting the commissioning of artwork such as painting, stained glass or sculpture, but also wants parishes to consider other options such as kneelers, processional crosses or vestments.
It takes some searching to find it, but the guide appears to be located here, and it really doesn’t provide much guidance. It’s really just a checklist of issues to be considered. The only real guidance I found was on this page on “liturgical reordering” which basically recommends a typical RC-like 1980s versus populum arrangement. Even more dated is this space; it’s impossible to see the new artwork well enough to comment on it, but to my eye it doesn’t take the curse off a space that looks like an airport chapel knockoff of Eero Saarinen. Really I’d be much happier if they said something like “go read Pugin and Dearmer, and then do that.”
If the cope and stained glass window (if that’s what it was) that illustrate the piece are any examples of what they are recommending, I am singularly unimpressed. The cope looks like something from KJS’s wardrobe and the window is simply ugly and amateurish.
“…simply ugly and amateurish”
Funny, that’s how I feel about Picasso!
#3
As do I.
The irony of it being launched at St Stephen’s Walbrook (in the City of London). Isn’t that the church with the Palumbo-sponsored altar like a vast round cheese?
Great herds of birds, Terry, what a bizarre church!
If you think that I am exaggerating look at the pic of the altar here:
http://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/1799442
I didn’t get the Picasso reference. Googled “Picasso liturgical” and “Picasso church” and didn’t find much beyond the ‘grandfather’s hat’ business. Did he do a lot of church projects?