Turnip Prize - British Art at its Best

Here's the winner of the annual Turnip Prize, an annual Bad Art alternative to the Turner Prize. I'd have gone for Stick Another Shrimp on the Barbie, but to be fair they'd gone to a bit too much effort.

Another triumphant contribution to global culture from Somerset, the awards were given out just up the road at Wedmore. All we need to do now is to get Cider Monday properly organised for the first Monday after Black Friday (whatever that is).

Politicians Discussing Global Warming

This Berlin sculpture has gone viral on Twitter, very clever.

The Invention of Cricket - new evidence

I'm not a great expert on ancient art, but saw this one in a newspaper the other day and was struck, as any cricketer would be, by the central figure. It's Titians 'Bacchus and Ariadne', but chap in the middle is clearly a right-handed Ryan Sidebottom. The ball and batsman are out of shot but the umpire (on the left, facing the wrong way) is already signalling 4. This may be a sign of early match fixing, especially as the figure behind the bowler seems to be waving a bag of money at the umpire. Or she might be an IPL cheerleader with a wardrobe malfunction.

The crowd, as is normal at cricket matches, are a mixed bag - some are watching the play, some are asleep, one is struggling with the flex on their radio headphones (at least, I assume that's what the guy with the beard is doing). It's clearly a hot day, late afternoon, as shown by the absence of clothes, and the figure entering the picture on the right is just about to streak across the pitch, reviving one of the ancient and noble traditions of cricket.

With the umpire wearing blue and the player red, it's probably a one day match, and the floodlights are just coming on (top left). Though what those animals are doing on the pitch is anybody's guess.

I suspect that the original name of the picture was 'Batters and Arnie', having mistaken Ryan Sidebottom for his father.

Bible - Visuals and Infographics

In the hunt for some good images for a Bible Sunday display, here's a few links for people who like their information in picture format:

Visual Unit: superb, maps of Bible stuff, philosophical systems, periodic table of the Bible, timelines, etc.

Tim Challies 'Visual Theology' series, nice way of presenting things.

Old and New, which is part graphics part art

and a list of other links here.

favourite so far is this one by Chris Harrison. Try and guess what it is before you see if you were right.


There must be more, any pointers?

Update: some graphics and stats here on access to the bible worldwide. Thanks to Eddie Arthur for that one.

Wow

Some simply staggering beauty on show at the Astronomy Photographer of the Year 2012, and a lovely slideshow on the BBC site to go with it.

Its enough to make you Scream

The £74m spent on Edvard Munch's the Scream could have helped 1.3m people in the East African famine. But it didn't, it was spent on a painting, and everybody clapped. I've yet to see anything in the news coverage or comment that's questioned  a value system which thinks this is ok. I don't think God is clapping.

Eventually, moth and rust will destroy this picture, and one can only hope this becomes a moment we look back on with shame.

Flying Spaghetti Monster banished by Planning Authority

In news that will come as a blow to atheists everywhere, the Flying Spaghetti Monster has made a public appearance. Sick and tired of being trundled out for the 10,000th time on Guardian threads and Dawkinsnet as a fictional deity, the FSM was briefly sighted in Chichester Cathedral recently, as the photo (right) reveals.

Unexpectedly translucent, the FSM was soon banished by the church planning authorities. This is a common occurence for anything combining church contents and imagination. Frank Field MP uttered the 2nd Subclause  of Power (the first is Health and Safety) and the vision promptly vanished.

In other planning news, a large LED display is to be erected above the stone bridge in the middle, which will show, live, the running costs of a wedding as it actually takes place. As each multiple of £100 is passed, a small bell will sound from the vestry, at £500 a chip and pin machine is passed to the father of the bride, at £750 all the lighting is switched off, and at £1000 the entire wedding party is forcibly ejected.

Credits: don't blame me, blame Alastair.

Health and Safety Artwork

For your enjoyment. Particularly like what they've done to the Mona Lisa. For anyone under 40, Vision On was a kids TV programme, and yes, this is what it was like (though I'm not entirely sure about the sign language). From this lot.

Angel of the North's Halo Discovered at Last

An enduring mystery of the North East has been solved, with the unveiling today of this next to Middlesborough football stadium:

It's a £2.7m bit of artwork designed by sculptor Anish Kapoor, called 'Temenos', and is planned to be one of 5 giant bits of art on the Tees Valley. Any similarity to a giant ankle support, or indeed a Slinky, is purely coincidental. The other possible inspiration could be a giant pair of handcuffs.

If it was informed cultural commentary you were after, try here.

'Temenos' is a Greek word meaning a piece of land set aside for the worship of pagan gods. Maybe the Angel will be wanting his halo back. And his frisbee.

Bible Art Collections

Blogger Matt Stone is putting together collections of art inspired by different books of the Bible. This is one of the Exodus ones, there's also a collection for Genesis and Isaiah. Early days, and I'm sure he'd appreciate any interesting links. Should be a great resource when the project's finished, but it's worth a browse already.

I'm kicking myself at only discovering this yesterday: last Sunday's service was on Isaiah 6, and this would have saved me an hour or so on Google Image searches!

Matt has a whole stack of other collections on his blog too: 'Christian Art: Alien' is a category I'd never come across before.... other collections include Animated, Goth, Tattoo, Feminist, Latin American, Political. Lots of great discussion starters...

Stations of the Resurrection

A new collection from illustrator Si Smith, creator of the inspired '40' series, depicting the resurrection appearances in modern day Leeds. You need to subscribe to the CPAS leadership magazine to get all 12 on download, but having wondered about subscribing for years, this might tip me over the edge.

Stanley Spencer, Si Smith. What is it about those initials and contemporary resurrection art?

For each cartoon, the CPAS mag has a bible reference, ideas for creating a focal point, a reflection, action and prayer. As 'luck' would have it, I ordered my free preview copy of Church Leadership a few weeks ago, and hadn't actually opened it until just now. Cafe service for a week on Sunday now sorted......

Art and Christianity Meme

Jonathan Evens has posted a summary of the responses to the 'Art and Christianity' meme from a couple of months ago, where people were asked to post ideas on novels, art, music, drama etc. which for them 'expresses something of the essence of Christianity'. Fascinating list, with a summary post on what the choices reveal. Jonathan raises an important issue (my italics):

the need for clarity in what we are responding to within such works i.e. are we suggesting that the Christian themes/language/imagery/forms we are responding to are consciously or unconsciously inherent within the artwork or its creation and, whichever we suggest, whether they are being subverted or affirmed through their use.

Colour Me Christmassy

thanks to Richard Frank for this one, who links to more work by the same designer. Also at iGod.

Is Phlox a real colour?

Art and Christianity Meme

Phil Ritchie, and someone else (who I've already forgotten! it's been a busy few days) tagged me with the following challenge:

To list an artwork, drama, piece of music, novel, and poem that you think each express something of the essence of Christianity and for each one explain why. Then tag five other people. Original idea from Jonathan Evens.

This is going to test my cultural horizons, but here goes.

Art: Banksy's Bethlehem murals

Not just the image - which itself connects to the message and passion of Jesus - but the location, on probably the symbolic structure of human division in the world since the end of the Berlin Wall.

Drama: Difficult, as there are stacks of films and dramas with gospel imagery. I'll plump for the Shawshank Redemption, especially the final escape, where Andy Dufresne leaves the prison, is 'baptised' in the river and the rain, and goes on to a new life with a new identity and riches already against his name in the bank, sending back a message for his friend to come and join him.

Music: 'Restore My Soul' by The Choir. One of my favourite bands anyway, full of great imagery "I come to you with 10 fingers smoking/from turning the pages of sin/with my spirit choking/from earning the wages of sin". Talks of a God who, no matter how much of a mess we make, is ready and willing to restore us.

Novel: I'm tempted to say the Harry Potter series, but I'll plump for Christ Recrucified by Nikos Kazantzakis, a retelling of the gospel through a 20th century peasant village and their passion play. Lord of the Flies by Golding also crossed my mind, but it's pretty low on redemption.

Poem: God's Grandeur, by Gerard Manley Hopkins. Incredibly concentrated, and bursting with imagery, it feels like the meaning is wanting to explode out of the limitations of mere words. The idea of a world charged with God's glory, like electricity, is a wonderful image.

The world is charged with the grandeur of God.
It will flame out, like shining from shook foil ;
It gathers to a greatness, like the ooze of oil
Crushed. Why do men then now not reck his rod ?
Generations have trod, have trod, have trod ;
And all is seared with trade ; bleared, smeared with toil ;
And wears man’s smudge and shares man’s smell : the soil
Is bare now, nor can foot feel, being shod.

And for all this, nature is never spent ;
There lives the dearest freshness deep down things ;
And though the last lights off the black West went
Oh, morning, at the brown brink eastward, springs—
Because the Holy Ghost over the bent
World broods with warm breast and with ah ! bright wings.

I tag Steve Tilley, Phil Groom, Arun Arora, Gary McMurray, and PaxtonVic.

Joyous Jesus

Love this. Part of an excellent collection of pictures of Jesus from different cultures (ht Jonny Baker).

I find I'm using stuff like this more and more: 'the Christ We Share' from USPG/CMS is a great discussion starter for small groups, getting people to choose the picture of Jesus they most relate to and talk about it. Works well both for those on the 'fringe' and people who've been Christians for ages.

From the dust of the earth

fantastic. Ht Tim Abbott

Winner of Ukraines Got Talent. I wonder if UK culture is capable of producing and celebrating something of such beauty? On the positive side, if it wasn't for Simon Cowell inventing the show, this wouldn't be on Youtube getting well over 6 million hits.

Jesus and the Nazi, the Muslim Christian, and other links

Please visit this Facebook page, with the details of the shameful treatment and deportation from the UK of a woman who faces torture, imprisonment and separation from her 2 small children in Uganda. There may still be time for Alan Johson to intervene. More details in my previous post today, including contact details for Alan Johnson and Alan Milburn, the local MP.

Journeys with the Messiah is a striking bit of art, putting a 1st century Jesus into a series of modern settings, put together by fashion photographer Michael Belk. Ht Church Mouse, Maggi Dawn.

Matt Wardman reports on the bloggers who uncovered a false story in the Sun (who'd have thought it?), and argues that bloggers might be better at checking their facts than newspapers anxious to print anti-Islam stories.

Sam Norton lists 10 'random beliefs' - interesting collection, might follow his example even if that particular meme doesn't come my way.

Cranmers Curate reports on a creative bit of church planting in Sheffield, whilst the Urban Pastor wonders whether Anglican parish boundaries have had their day.

Missionary Carl Medearis declares 'I am a Muslim': I have friends in the Arab world who are from America and grew up in the Christian faith who would call themselves “Muslims.” They reason that the word simply (and literally) means “one who submits to God.” And they do, so they are. Or…are they? Depends on who’s doing the defining. Ht iGod. Medearis asks the pertinent question 'are you a good communicator or a good talker?' let the blogger understand...

Derren Brown's blog is still offline, as it has been since Friday. But I'm sure he knows what you're thinking anyway.

Deadline: Post-It's as an art form

Brilliant. And true. Ht sadbuttrue, who also has the vid of how it was made.

New Banksy Exhibition in Bristol

The phenomena that is Banksy has just taken over Bristol City Museum and Art Gallery with a secretly planned exhibition. More pics via the Beeb.

'Banksy versus Bristol Museum' is free, and open daily until 31st August. See you there, though no doubt culture vulture Steve Tilley will probably beat me to it.

Landmark? My 'Orse

The South has unveiled it's answer to the Angel of the North
The unveiling ceremony, witnessed by this video, just made me think 'I didn't realise the Entertainer sold horse models in that slightly bigger size'. Great isn't it, that you can design a £2m public work of art by just browsing through the farm animals section in your local toyshop.

The Ebbsfleet Nag will stand 50 metres high, and greet people as they enter the UK on Eurostar. It's been dubbed the 'Angel of the South', which just goes to show how much Kent Council know about angels. Here is the Angel of the North, for comparison:

the similarities are obvious really. So next time you build something 50 metres high in a field - an office block, a spire, a minaret, a giant statue of Margaret Thatcher - it will be 'The Angel of the.......' (fill in with rough geographical direction from Luton)

A couple of drawbacks:

- they haven't got planning permission yet (?!?!)

- "there could be short term funding problems" (trans: 'we don't have any money, and nobody will give us any')

Unfortunately my entry didn't quite get there in time: