Tag Archives: Canadian culture

Exploring Jesus’ journey from Gesthemane to the tomb through art

06 Monday Apr 2015

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For the second year in a row, Guelph’s Lakeside Downtown invited about a dozen artists to use their talent to depict the Stations of the Cross on Good Friday. One of the unique things about Lakeside Downtown is the number of artists – writers, poets, painters, musicians, storytellers, graphic designers, etc. – that are part of the  congregation.

This year, about 500 people walked through the downtown church plant of Lakeside Church (http://lakesidechurch.ca/) and experienced the various interpretations of Jesus journey from the Garden of Gesthemane to the tomb.

By way of disclosure, Lakeside Downtown is my home church. And my part in the Art of the Cross event was to create a photo journal of what was going on. I’m posting a few of the photos here and the rest can be seen on my Facebook page: http://tinyurl.com/kbv3swh)

Phil Irish 1Elora artist Phil Irish created this depiction of Jesus’ betrayal by Judas. Most of the pieces of paper with lips on them came from those attending the event. Phil provided the paper and lipstick and those attending provided the lip prints – making this an interactive piece. For me, it made me wonder if I could, or have, betrayed Christ as easily as Judas.

Community Choir 3The Art of the Cross event was the debut of the Lakeside Downtown Community Choir. Comprised of members of the congregation and the community, the choir provides an opportunity for people to share choral music no matter their faith, or non-faith, background.

Community participationA large cross, made from kraft paper, took up a good part of the floor in the Lakeside Downtown’s gym. Those who came, adults and youth alike, were invited to create their own interpretation of either the event or the Stations of the Cross, making it a truly interactive time of meditation and reflection.

Phil Irish - paletteThis shot of Phil Irish’s palette, for me, sums up everything about the event and my experience as a writer and photographer. It represents the chaos of the artistic process, from the discordant sight-reading of a new piece of music to the mixing of color for a painting. But out of this chaos, through practice, practice, practice – be that rehearsing a section of a piece over and over until it rings out in harmony, painting over a section of a canvas, experimenting with exposures and f/stops, or working on the umpteenth draft of a story – that chaos begins to form a cohesive work of art.

And those cohesive works of art can touch people in a way nothing else can. It can stir emotion. It can evoke questions. It can bring healing. But most of all, and especially in an event such as this, art can reflect to us the cross of Christ.

Book takes “Subway Stations of the Cross” from the stage to the page

01 Wednesday Apr 2015

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Subway Stations cover

A year ago, during the one of the runs of the award-winning play Kim’s Convenience, I had the chance to talk to Ins Choi about one of his other works: Subway Stations of the Cross.

Subway Stations of the Cross has its roots in a conversation Ins had with a homeless man in a park in downtown Toronto. Puzzled by what seemed to be ramblings at the time, Ins eventually found himself intrigued by what was said and began writing poems and songs based on it. By 2009 he began performing a song or poem in church services during Lent, a project that ultimately grew into a 20-minute performance.

“Over the years it started to grow and grow and now it at about an hour long,” said Ins in the interview.

Now, this work of the stage has been transformed into a work of the written page with the House of Anansi Press publication of Ins’ spoken-word poems and songs, beautifully illustrated by artist Guno Park.

The book opens with an illustration of Ins in character as the play’s nameless vagabond who is both beggar and seer. The poem “Repent” sets the tone for the book with lines that seamlessly meld social comment, humour and theology:

“Compare/Laissez-faire/Up in the air/On a whim and a prayer/Neither here nor there/Neither hide nor hair/Multi-million dollar home five car garage private jet plane mega-billionaire/MDiv PhD summa cum laud professor director member fellow published text book nicky picky air tight I’m right doctrinaire ye the way of the Lord.”

My personal favorites are “Bread” and “Wine” (two poems that look, separately, at the elements of the Last Supper), “Birkenstock Jesus” (which asks “If Jesus came to visit us today/How would he react to the church?”) and “A Field” (the parable of the hidden treasure from Matthew 13). But I also find a new “favourite” every time I read through the book again.

The beauty of Ins’ words is matched by Guno Park’s wonderful illustrations. “Guno and I grew up in the same church in Toronto, Toronto Korean Bethel Church,” writes Ins in the Author’s Note. “For an immigrant Korean church, or any church for that matter, it had an unusually disproportionate amount of artists.” In the same note, Ins says Guno’s drawings were “the perfect visual companion to my poems and songs.”

And they are. The publisher has formatted the book so that Guno’s pen and ink subway scenes can fold out in a panorama of human drama. Or as Ins writes: “like lost travellers on a holy pilgrimage who, after many years, forgot where they were going and why.”

While Subway Stations of the Cross can be a quick read, its complexities will draw the readers back to it time and time again for new insights into human and divine natures. It’s going to be in my re-read pile for a long time.

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For the complete interview with Ins Choi, which looks at Kim’s Convenience and Subway Stations of the Cross go to: http://selawministries.ca/content/arts-connection-monday-april-7-2014-ins-choi-kims-convenience-and-subway-stations-cross

Lost & Found Theatre’s “Kimberly Akimbo” is funny, poignant and deeply moving

20 Friday Mar 2015

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Lost and Found Theatre - Kimberly Akimbo

One of my pleasures is live theatre and the Lost & Found Theatre company’s latest production, Kimberly Akimbo, is one of the reasons for my love of theatre.

The Kitchener, Ontario-based company doesn’t describe itself as a “Christian theatre company” even though most of the company’s core cast are Christians. But the works they choose to produce frequently resonate with Christian values and definitely look at the challenging and redemptive aspects of human relationships.

Kimberly Akimbo does just that. Pulitzer Prize winner David Lindsay-Abaire’s play introduces us to a mother (Christy Ziss) about to give birth to her second child and worried about about diseases she’s never been diagnosed with; a rarely sober father (Andy Pogson) who constantly makes promises he never keeps and 15- turning 16-year-old, Kimberly who tries to navigate the turbulent waters of a budding teenage romance, a dysfunctional family (that also includes an aunt with a sketchy past) and her own mortality.

Cast as Kimberly, is Kathleen Sheehy portrays a teen who struggles with a rare condition that causes her body to age faster than it should. Faced with an uncertain future, she also has to cope with her parents avoidance (bordering on denial) of her condition despite her desire to live a normal teenage life. When her aunt Debra (Jennifer Cornish) shows up with a get-rich-quick scheme, Kimberly’s world falls apart as simmering family secrets boil to the surface in heated arguments and accusations.

And when the family secrets no longer remain secret, instead of ending the dysfunction, it serves to drive the wedge between Kimberly and her parents in deeper, forcing her to forge her own path and find her own happiness.

Thrown into the mix is a Jeff (in a stunning professional debut by Alten Wilmot), a geeky wannabe boyfriend who uses anagrams portray his true feelings. Using a school project as a ruse to get a chance to talk to Kimberly, the budding romance survives awkward silences, their own dysfunctional families and Kimberly’s overprotective father.

Kimberly Akimbo is funny, poignant and deeply moving, often in the space of a single line. It’s a must see.

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Kimberly Akimbo runs until March 28 at the Registry Theatre (122 Frederick St., Kitchener). For ticket details go to http://www.lostandfoundtheatre.com. (Warning: Coarse Language, 13+)

And check out Lost & Found Theatre’s Radical Hospitality initiative where a limited number of tickets for the Saturday, March 21 and Tuesday, March 24 will be available at no cost.

Is the message more important than the medium?

12 Thursday Mar 2015

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Here’s a conundrum: how do you critique “bad” art without coming off as someone who doesn’t understand that the “message” is more important than the work?

Let me define a couple of words in that sentence first:

“Bad” is being used in the context of art that still needs work. Art that probably could have used a bit more skill or technique before being presented to the public. Or art that simply doesn’t make the grade.

“Message” is being used in the context of the Gospel message and/or general biblical message.

I’ve often found myself in this conundrum. When I was worked at a secular newspaper, I had to attend the performance of a local, amateur musical theatre group which specialized in Gilbert & Sullivan musicals. This particular performance of “The Pirates of Penzance” was truly terrible. Most of the singers were past their prime and if you can’t hit the notes, G&S musicals are unforgiving. Fortunately I didn’t have to write a review, but just report on the fortitude of the players in producing the play.

I’ve also found myself in this situation as a Christian journalist, and now blogger. Theatre performances that just didn’t hit the mark. Books that could have used better writing or editing. Musicians whose songs could be better written or CDs better produced. In most cases, I’ve tried to be gracious in my comments, often biting my tongue to keep my more cutting opinions from being voiced.

Occasionally I’ve found a few people with whom I could share honestly. In many cases they’ve actually recognized the shortcomings and have learned lessons to be used for the next time. And the conversations we have about improving the art form have both been encouraging and enlightening.

Most of the time, though, when I’ve voiced criticisms, I’ve be accused of missing the importance of the message in the medium. I’ve been told it’s not important the book be better written or the play be better performed. People have been exposed to the Gospel and that’s all that matters.

The implication is that God can use art in spite of the quality, or lack thereof. There’s truth in that philosophy. E.g. God used an ass to get his message across to Balaam (Numbers 22: 21 to 41). Therefore God can use bad art to get across His message of salvation.

But why should He have to? When I look at the scriptural record describing the construction of the Tabernacle or any of the versions of the Temple, I see artisans who were so humbled by the responsibility that they produced the best work they possibly could.

My intent has never been to be curmudgeon or to disparage the art or artist. But I believe we can all strive for excellence in our art. Any choice to be satisfied with less than excellence dishonours God and dishonours our art.

Guelph band transforms G.K. Chesterton’s poems into song

03 Tuesday Mar 2015

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Riddles and Creeds cover Those familiar with G. K. (Gilbert Keith) Chesterton probably know him for his apologetic works (Orthodoxy or The Everlasting Man) or fiction (Father Brown mysteries or The Man Who Was Thursday). Through the Nicole Ensing Band’s 2014 CD, riddles & creeds, you’ll soon learn about Chesterton the poet. Ensing, the worship ministry coordinator at Guelph’s New Life Christian Reformed Church, and producer Ross McKitrick, have transformed 10 of Chesterton’s poems (two songs on the CD are instrumentals) into outstanding songs. Transforming existing poems into song lyrics isn’t as easy as it sounds (I unsuccessfuly tried to do so with Alfred Lord Tennyson’s “Break, Break, Break” after studying it in school). About half the songs were adpated by Ensing and McKitrick, with Ensing soloing on the adaptation on the other half and composing the music for all of the songs but “The Great Minimum,” where she teamed up with McKitrick. “A Child of the Snows,” “The Rolling English Road” and “The Aristocrat” are probably my favourite songs on riddles & creeds, but I don’t think there’s one bad track on the CD. Ensing, sings and plays piano, surrounded herself with a solid band of musicians for this project: Brian Bork (guitar), Sam Fitzpatrick (bass) and Joel Sypkes (drums – and is no longer with the band). The band seems to know when to keep instrumentation to a minimum (“The Great Minimum”) or turned up to 10 (“The Aristocrat”). If I had one quibble with the CD, it’s in the production. There’s often too much “space” between Ensing’s vocals and the rest of the music for my liking, which leads to her vocals getting lost in the mix. riddles & creeds is the perfect introduction to both the Nicole Ensing Band (http://www.nicoleensingband.com/) and the poetry of G.K. Chesterton.

 
 

The enigma and influence of Bruce Cockburn explored in “rumours of glory”

24 Tuesday Feb 2015

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Rumours of glory - cover

I was one of those young people who almost wore the grooves out of my copy of Dancing in the Dragon’s Jaws in the early 1980s – especially once I was told Bruce Cockburn was a born again Christian and “Wondering Where the Lions Are” was based on a metaphor for Jesus Christ.

I also wasn’t one of those evangelical Christians who tossed their Cockburn collection because of the mild profanity in “If I Had a Rocket Launcher” and the harsher profanity in “Call it Democracy.” I considered the lyrics in context and always felt the songwriter chose the words he knew best conveyed his thoughts.

That’s why Cockburn’s autobiography, rumours of glory, was at the top of my Christmas list this year and became one of the first books I plowed through in my post-Christmas reading binge.

For many evangelical Christians, Cockburn has been an enigma. Coming out in the late 1970s with statements that led many to believe he had a salvation experience, Cockburn’s “witness” in years to come left many scratching their heads about his beliefs.

For those, myself included, who picked up rumours of glory to hear Cockburn use the magic words “born again Christian,” they’ll be sadly disappointed. One encounter Cockburn has with legendary Christian rocker Glen Kaiser (of Resurrection Band fame) will leave no doubt about where Cockburn stands among those in the evangelical camp. Yet, ever the enigma, Cockburn shares about a spiritual experience that seems pull from Christianity and a host of other religions/faiths that he’s been exposed to as a world traveller and observer of human behaviour. Is he or isn’t he a “Christian?” Only God knows for sure.

Putting dogma aside, Cockburn still remains, as a singer/songwriter/guitarist, a key influence on many Canadian musicians, including Christians such as Jacob Moon, Steve Bell, Ali Matthews, Jay Calder, Kev Morse. And rumours of glory is a window onto Cockburn’s creative process, which has evolved and matured over his nearly five decades as a musician. For me, the most enjoyable part of this book was taking a look behind the curtain as he explains the influences and experiences behind his songs. I did find, however, some of the political rants became a little tiring after being repeated a few times.

Does rumours of glory provide a definitive answer to the question “is Bruce Cockburn a born-again Christian?” No. Does rumours of glory provide a look at one artist’s creative process? Yes. And for that reason it’s a must-read for any artist.

What can Christians learn from “50 Shades of Grey?”

19 Thursday Feb 2015

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50 Shades of Grey cover

“The serpent told the Woman, “You won’t die. God knows that the moment you eat from that tree, you’ll see what’s really going on. You’ll be just like God, knowing everything, ranging all the way from good to evil.” Genesis 3: 4, 5 The Message

“Don’t waste your energy on guilt, feelings of wrongdoing, etc. We are consenting adults and what we do behind closed doors is between ourselves. You need to free your mind and listen to your body” 50 Shades of Grey by E. L. James

“What has been will be again, what has been done will be done again; there is nothing new under the sun.” Ecclesiastes 1:9 (New International Version)

The strategy around 50 Shades of Grey—the book and the movie—has been around since Satan tempted Adam and Eve to eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil: take part of the truth, wrap it up in something enticing and feed it to people as the whole truth.

But for Christians involved in the arts, there’s a lesson we can learn from 50 Shades of Grey.

By starting with the book’s origin: a fan fiction based on the Twilight series. For those not familiar with fan fiction, writers take characters from pop culture—everything from Star Trek and Star Wars to Harry Potter—and weave the stories they wanted to see. Most frequently, fan fiction delves into the erotic/pornographic because the writers wanted to see their favourite characters consummate the unresolved sexual tension found in the source material.

In short, fan fiction is a means to an end.

The lesson for Christians in a 500-plus page of graphic erotica is: when the end, in this case a dominant-submissive relationship, is more important than the means, a well-crafted novel, the resulting artistic product tends to be mediocre at best.

For those asking, “yes” I’ve read the book and “no” I haven’t seen/won’t see the movie. But it was one of the worst books I’ve read, finding the same place in my ‘read once’ pile as the Christian novel that footnoted every scriptural reference/allusion. In 50 Shades of Grey, the author is so focused on getting the characters into the bedroom, or “red room of pain,” that the basics of storytelling, like character or plot development, take second place. If it weren’t for the furor over the sadistic overtones of the main characters’ relationship, 50 Shades of Grey, the book, would have been relegated to discount bins long ago and the movie would have been a direct-to-video release.

But before we become too self-righteous, some Christians can be guilty of making fan fiction for God. A couple of acquaintances of mine recently posted a link to an article which suggested that Christian movies are as bad as 50 Shades in Facebook (http://www.vox.com/2015/2/15/8038283/christian-movies-bad-old-fashioned-fifty-shades). One of those, B.C.-based filmmaker Kevin Miller noted in a subsequent Facebook discussion: “there’s art, there’s entertainment, and then there’s Christian cinema.”

Christians do have a message. Some artists who are Christian have a distinct calling to portray that message in their art. Holman Hunt, who’s painting The Light of the World is a literal depiction of Revelation 3:20, comes immediately to mind. Others have been called to portray that message through metaphor, allegory and allusion. C. S. Lewis and his Narnia Chronicles best exemplify this approach.

But no matter our calling, we can’t forget that we have been called to be stewards of our gifts, giving all and the best to God. We need to make art for the sake of making art. And we need to make good art. Whether God’s message is in the viewer’s face or hidden among layers of metaphor, let’s make that art the best it can be.

Let’s not be accused of making Christian versions of fan fiction where the end is more important than the means.

Guitarist’s musical vision shines forth on new CD

17 Tuesday Feb 2015

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Jay Calder - Vision cover

For me, the test of a CD’s quality is how long I keep it in my van CD player. Jay Calder’s new CD, Vision, has passed that test.

My first experience with Jay was at a Couple’s Night Out event in Kitchener a few years ago. Jay was the “warm-up” act for the evening, which featured Alberta humourist Phil Callaway as the keynote speaker. I was awestruck by Jay’s intricate guitar playing and have been a fan ever since.

It’s a challenge to describe Jay’s music because much of what he does is unique in the musical world. Jay’s a solo artist who uses finger-picking, harmonics, open tuning and percussive strikes to make it sound like there’s more than one person playing. The closest comparator I can think of is Contemporary Christian Music (CCM) pioneer and virtuoso guitarist Phil Keaggy. But even that pales because Jay charts his own waters with his music.

Vision is a compilation of original songs, including the rollicking “Seer’s Jam,” the latin-infused “Sincelejo” and “Norah’s Grace;” and adaptations or arrangements like “Be Thou My Vision,” “Great is Thy Faithfulness” and “Breath on Me Breath of God.”

My personal favorites are “The Cupbearer Forgot” based on the story of Joseph’s imprisonment (Genesis 40), “A Longing Fulfilled” and “Silent First Joy Night” a seamless weaving of “Silent Night,” “The First Noel” and “Joy to the World” into one incredible piece.

I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention veteran producer Roy Salmond’s influence on this CD. Jay describes Roy as “a Canadian treasure…and a monster musically,” assets which shine forth in the quality of the CD’s production.

Instrumentalists often get shortchanged because their music isn’t seen as being radio-friendly for most Christian stations. This is a shame because, as is the case with Vision, the music lifts the listener into the presence of God without lyrics getting in the way.  Get a copy of Vision and let Jay Calder’s music lift, encourage and edify you. You’ll find yourself coming back to it time and time again. I know I do.

Kev Morse’ “In the Blood” CD taps a musical vein to produce a gem

10 Tuesday Feb 2015

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Arts Connection - Kev Morse In the Blood CD cover

So tap into my vein/And strike the mother lode/it’s all in my genetic code/This is the way You’ve made me/It’s in my blood/It’s what I’ve made of. “In the Blood” by Kev Morse (copyright 2014)

The more I listen to this CD, the more I find in it to like. Kev Morse, a singer/songwriter from Milton, Ontario (just west of Toronto) has tapped into a musical vein and produced gems that run the gamut from folk, blues, R & B and rock.

Morse has been part of the central Ontario indie scene since his days with Greytown (whose single “My Life as an Office Clerk” found rotation on Much Music’s Indie Street). When not performing solo, Morse is also part of The Great Wooden Trio.

It’s his work as a singer, songwriter and guitarist that shines through his newest CD, In the Blood right from the up-beat folk-rock opening number “Happy Ever After” to the final number, the sweet duet “Trust of a Child.” Morse is a thoughtful songwriter, tackling subjects like commitment in marriage (“Happy Ever After”), prevailing through trials (“Smile”) and repentance (“Turn it Around”).

If, however, you’re looking for explicit Christian lyrics, In the Blood isn’t the CD for you. If, however, you want songs that look at life from a Christian perspective and convey the Truth thoughtfully and truthfully, then you’ll find yourself turning to this CD time and time again.

In the Blood is a true musical gem that sparkles with originality. Give it a listen.

(To listen to an interview where Kev Morse talks about the CD, check out: http://selawministries.ca/content/arts-connection-monday-february-9-2015-kev-morse-new-cd-blood)

Created to create beauty

03 Tuesday Feb 2015

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This year I decided to follow a chronological reading plan of the Bible. My reading this week took me to the portion of Exodus detailing the creation of the Tabernacle.

Reading these instructions, I was struck by the beauty of the Tabernacle’s furnishings, along with the craftsmanship required to create each piece. Take, for example, the lampstand:

“Make a Lampstand of pure hammered gold. Make its stem and branches, cups, calyxes, and petals all of one piece. Give it six branches, three from one side and three from the other; put three cups shaped like almond blossoms, each with calyx and petals, on one branch, three on the next, and so on—the same for all six branches. On the main stem of the Lampstand, make four cups shaped like almonds, with calyx and petals, a calyx extending from under each pair of the six branches, the entire Lampstand fashioned from one piece of hammered pure gold.” (Exodus 25: 31-36 The Message)

Just imagine a goldsmith making this ornate fixture from one piece of hammered gold. I’ve watched the effort it takes sculptors and painters to work on just one section of a piece. I can’t even imagine the amount of work the lampstand took.

The more I read about the Tabernacle, the more it reinforced something I’ve long believed:

God loves beauty. He’s created us to love beauty. And some He’s created some to create beauty:

God spoke to Moses: “See what I’ve done; I’ve personally chosen Bezalel son of Uri, son of Hur of the tribe of Judah. I’ve filled him with the Spirit of God, giving him skill and know-how and expertise in every kind of craft to create designs and work in gold, silver, and bronze; to cut and set gemstones; to carve wood—he’s an all-around craftsman.

“Not only that, but I’ve given him Oholiab, son of Ahisamach of the tribe of Dan, to work with him. And to all who have an aptitude for crafts I’ve given the skills to make all the things I’ve commanded you: (Exodus 31: 1-11 The Message)

Finishing my reading last night, the following thought hit: the Tabernacle’s artisans were given an incredible honour and responsibility. They were tasked to create the earthly dwelling place of the heavenly God. They were to create the tools used in daily worship. They were to use the talents God gave them in these tasks.

It also means those of us who have been gifted by God as creatives have been given that same incredible honour and responsibility. J.R.R. Tolkien, in his classic essay, “On Fairy-Stories” wrote:

“We have come from God, and inevitably the myths woven by us, though they contain error, will also reflect a splintered fragment of the true light, the eternal truth that is with God. Indeed only by myth-making, only by becoming ‘sub-creator’ and inventing stories, can Man aspire to the state of perfection that he knew before the Fall.”

Tolkien calls us “sub-creators” and even though he was referring to his own literary efforts, it’s not too far of a leap to suggest “myth-making” can also take the form of visual arts, music, dance and the myriad of artistic expressions available to us.

I ended my devotional time last night by listing to Steve Bell’s version of “Why do We Hunger for Beauty.” The song affirmed the innate hunger for beauty that exists in all of us. As artists who are called by God, we have the honour and responsibility of creating art that can sate that hunger.