Show Time!

 

 



Well, this is it. The final chapter, in my residency here, at Community of the Resurrection monastery.

On Tuesday evening, I will give a talk and then we'll have an opening launch cum private view, briefly, in the church where the culmination of all the works of these past few weeks will go on show to the public. Gulp.

If you are in the environs, or nearby, do come by. The more people the better, as I'll probably need all of you to resusitate me when I faint.........

A Pop-up Exhibition

Gascoyne Scarlet - the exhibition venue

The hang, with help from Jan Oliva



The other venue - Virginia Creeper

The artist makes an appearance

Job done

Viewing begins with FF Crispin and Roy

 

FF John and Simon 

 

Silent space

FF.Aidan and Oswin in deep thought

 

The Ordination students stop by 

 Fr Dennis 

 

 

Brothers Jacob and Daniel with George (Superior)

 

Fr. Simon avoids the rain and closes the show with style

 

The theme of the pop-up exhibition was "Surrender" and the works are based on a song sung in the Compline service. The pauses in the song - the silent spaces - were also represented in the show, using blank sheets of paper.... 

 

Part of the works were exhibited in the orchard on Gascoyne Scarlet - (a variety of apple tree). The remaining pieces (same theme) were displayed on the Virginia Creeper at the entryway to the orchard.

 

The turnout was amazing considering the short notice (and the bad weather)! Thank you so very much for coming, everyone. You made my day. 

 

 

 

 

White Space, Night Space

Hallway shadows on the way to dawn service



A row of hanging albs. Albs are linen robes used for Mass

 

This water font always makes me think of Isamu Noguchi

 

 



The altar with the hanging Pyx

Ordination students rehearsing for Sunday Mass ceremony

I like the first service of the morning, as well as the last one at night. The dawn service is called Mattins - it starts at 06:45am.....

The main reason why I like these two services is because I feel the church is at it's most beautiful during those times.

Whether steeped in the dawn of day or cloaked in the dusk of night, the spaces in this building speak to me of mystery, silence and peace.

Storehouse of Knowledge

Fr. Thomas took me on a tour of one of their many libraries

 

This, is a 216 page letter written in 1841, from Mr. Pusey to Dr. Jelf, in response to a complaint. "Disguntled in Tunbridge Wells," Victorian style 

There is much cataloging to do

The sort of book you'd expect in a monastery. (dated 1606)

You could get lost in here. Literally.

Every good library has it's celebrity collection

This is a personally autographed gift to a brother, from author TS Eliot in 1941 

There's something for every taste here

Fr. Thomas sorts out more books, whilst I ponder on the vast storehouse of knowledge that exists here. (This is only one of about 6 libraries on the grounds!) 

Overheard in Conversation #2

Property Maintenance honcho Paul, changing lightbulbs in CR Church

Me:  How many monks does it take to change a lightbulb?
Tony D:   None. We do it for them.

From a conversation with monastery all around fix-it guys Tony & Paul

Works-in-Retreat



Work-not-in-progress (This one is driving me bananas!) 

The beginning of work made referencing lines in a hymn

What happened next

Differnt variation on same words

 

I've just looked up the opposite of 'progress' and one of the answers was 'retreat'. Yes. That seems an honest description of what I am doing.. I am making works-in-retreat

There are several lines of investigation I am tackling in these remaining weeks of my residency. One of these, is the above series of ink and pastel works, referencing a song taken from the evening Compline service. It's a very beautiful and haunting song about surrender, sleep and death....

subjects which always make for stimulating dinner party conversation.

You Have Visitors

My first VIP visitor, Margaret Sentamu, wife of the Bishop of York, seen here with Fr. Oswin

Fr. Matthew Askey, my mentor and residency advisor (checking up on me!)

Wonderful Fr. Simon, who is 83 yrs young, came up those stairs like a trooper



You spend ages waiting for visitors, then suddenly, three come along in quick succession!

Thank you very much for coming by to visit me, view the works in-progress and give valuable feedback.  Especially knowing what a challenge it is, getting up those stairs....thank you, everyone.

Space Station Central

 

 

 

 

 

I've just returned from the last service of the night, Compline. It's my favorite of the daily four. I try to attend most of the services even though I am a practicing Zen Buddhist.

There is something very special about being in the chapel in the dark of the night, encircled by the brethren in their gray and black habits, together with the ordination students, sitting in quiet dignified silence in their somber black cassocks.

What stands out for me, is a feeling of unity of spirit that is almost palpable, even though it's not visible. It wraps around me like a warm embrace.....

The other thing that strikes me, is how the Pyx, hanging in the focal point of the chapel, takes on an unearthly quality, which is further highlighted by the spotlight which shines upon it.

If God is Space, then this must be Space Station Central.