Jesus Christ Rises Again (and Again, and again) in South America's Theme Park

THE GUARDIAN
By Emily Payne

Holyland Gift Shop

ARGENTINA - Between Buenos Aires' city airport and a gaudy water park, Tierra Santa or Holy Land: The World's Original Religious Theme Park, is half way through its first hourly Resurrection. Tierra Santa opened its holy gates in 2000, on a 17-acre estate that was once a football pitch, and now sees around 20,000 visitors each summer. It's the only one of its kind in Latin America, but has a glossier rival in the Holy Land Experience in Orlando, which opened in 2001. Currently, they're the world's only two Christian theme parks, but 2014 will see the opening of Ark Encounter, a massive $150m creation-themed park in Kentucky with a full-scale Noah's Ark. [link]

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Catholic woman in Indianapolis ordained as state's first female Priest

INDIANAPOLIS STAR
By TJ Barnes

INDIANA - On Sunday, [April 15th, Maria Thornton] McClain, 71, a former East Coast resident, aunt to several nieces and nephews, and wife of 31 years to Ed McClain, became Indiana's first woman to be ordained into the priesthood. Though the Catholic church doesn't recognize them, McClain becomes one of more than 100 women around the world ordained as a priest. In a growing movement, known as "Roman Catholic Womenpriests (RCWP)," women who are theologically qualified and called to the ministry are ordained into the priesthood. [link]

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In art and in life, nuns finally get their due

THE WASHINGTON POST
By Melinda Henneberger

WASHINGTON, DC - On Wednesday, the Vatican announced a crackdown on American nuns, charging the Leadership Conference of Women Religious, which represents most of the country’s 57,000 women religious, with falling prey to “radical feminism’’ and falling out of step with church teaching on women’s ordination and homosexuality.

The response from the general public was enormous and overwhelmingly sympathetic to the sisters. Not so long ago, Catholic nuns were routinely written off — and in popular culture, written up, as sharp-eyed meanies armed with rulers who paced their classrooms meting out punishment and sowing self-doubt. ...they are no longer unthanked or unsung. Now the view of women religious, in both art and life, is typically far more admiring: The unheeded heroine of John Patrick Shanley’s play and movie “Doubt,” Sister Aloysius, for instance, tries to get out in front of what looks to her like the signs of sex abuse by a parish priest. And the HBO documentary “God is the Bigger Elvis,’’ a respectful treatment of Hollywood star Dolores Hart’s decision to become a cloistered nun, was even nominated for an Oscar this year. [link]

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The Mark of Cain - The Making of an Exhibition

JEWISH ART SALON
By Angela Levine - Midnight East

"Untitled (Cain and Abel)" by Adi Nes | 2004

ISRAEL - Distressing, controversial, politicized, these are just some of the adjectives that might be applied to the works in Portraits of Cain, the new exhibition mounted at the Ben-Gurion University of the Negev. Featured there are some 100 works, photos, paintings, prints and sculpture by 28 Israeli artists, past and present. This exhibition is warmly recommended both for the variety of topics it deals with and the questions they raise, and for its immaculate presentation, a model of its kind. The Senate Gallery, Ben Gurion University, Beersheba. Till June 10th. [link]

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Wife of painter of light, Thomas Kinkade seeks restraining order against his girlfriend

MSNBC
By Gil Aegerter

CALIFORNIA - There's a new twist in the aftermath of the death of Thomas Kinkade, the artist called the "Painter of Light." Attorneys representing his wife, Nanette, and estate have filed for a temporary restraining order against Kinkade's girlfriend, Amy Pinto-Walsh, to prevent her from disclosing information about him, Los Gatos Patch reported. Apparently, there are worries about trade secrets, Los Gatos Patch reported. The documents also state that Kinkade died April 5, not April 6 as previously reported, Los Gatos Patch said. [link]

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RELIGIOUS ART | NEWS OF WEEK

ALPHA OMEGA ARTS
By Tahlib

REDEMPTION, an exhibition of works, including "Hades I" (above) by figurative painter Peter Howson (b. 1958) is the NEWS OF WEEK (Watch video). The Scottish born artist has been compared to Dutch painter Hieronymus Bosch for his fantastic imagery illustrating moral and religious narratives. His darkly disturbing works are in the private collections of many celebrities including American pop icon Madonna. In other religious art news:

• BUDDHIST ART: Artist, Loeum Lorn’s paints "ice" to explore the Buddhist concept of the impermanence of life. [More: Buddhism in Art News]
• CHRISTIAN ART: NYC born artist, Tony Melendez to be the featured artist on Sunday, May 6 for the next A&O Meetup in Indianapolis. [More: Christianity in Art News]
• HINDU ART: Images of the divine in Hinduism, as well as Buddhism according to author and illustrator Robert Beer on view at the October Gallery in London this spring. [More: Hinduism in Art News]
• ISLAMIC ART: The Indianapolis Museum of Art will premiere the new documentary "Islamic Art: Mirror of the World" on May 18, two months before it is televised on PBS, and it will be "free." [More: Islam in Art News]
• JUDAIC ART: Beginning on May 17, Siona Benjamin, painter of evocative Blue Jews reflecting her multicultural heritage will be in residence in Colorado for three days at the Mizel Museum. [More: Judaism in Art News]
• INTERFAITH: This past Monday, Egyptians shared the interfaith holy-day of Sham El-Naism with painted "Easter-like" eggs. [More: Interfaith Art Mixed News]

WANT MORE? Get your daily dose of Alpha Omega Arts on Facebook and/or Twitter, or just come back each day. We also urge you to join the Indianapolis Religious Arts Project online at Meetup.com, and invite a friend to join too! It costs nothing but is another great way to keep up with gatherings of like-minded folks around the country who share your interest in the interfaith religious art news we cover here each week. After all, who is Religious Art for? It's for Believers, and Skeptics too!

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(TRAILER): "Dark Shadows" starring Johnny Depp

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(VIDEO) The Visual Bible: The Gospel of Matthew

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Religious art from the Uffizi comes to Philadelphia area

PHILDELPHIA INQUIRER
By Bill Reed

"The Miracle of the Manna" by Fabrizio Boschi (Firenze 1572-1642)

PENNSYLVANIA - A rare exhibit of Renaissance and Baroque art from the renowned Uffizi Gallery in Florence, Italy, will open in Doylestown on Saturday - thanks to a chance encounter. "I was attending a museum conference in Los Angeles two years ago when I sat next to a woman on a crowded bus to the Getty Museum," recalled Bruce Katsiff, longtime director and CEO of the James A. Michener Art Museum. The woman's agency checked out the Michener, liked its proximity to Philadelphia and New York, and now Doylestown is the second stop on the four-city U.S. tour. And the woman, Linda Tompkins Carioni, is helping to launch the exhibit, "Offering of the Angels - Treasures from the Uffizi," which will run through Aug. 10 and is expected to draw 125,000 to 250,000 viewers. [link]

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Byzantium and Islam: Age of Transition, The Metropolitan Museum of Art, NYC

CALIFORNIA LITERARY REVIEW
By Ed Voves

Attarouthi, Syria, late 6th–early 7th century

NEW YORK - Byzantium and Islam, at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City, addresses two of history’s most amazing developments. This landmark exhibition, organized by Helen C. Evans, the Metropolitan curator responsible for two previous presentations of Byzantine art, brilliantly surveys historical themes of vital interest to the contemporary world. [link]

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Join Dell's Travel on an unforgettable trip to see "Jonah" & the Whale this June

ALPHA OMEGA ARTS
By Ernest O. Britton



PENNSYLVANIA - This June 4-7, Dell's Travel presents another unforgettable travel excursion to the heart of Pennsylvania Dutch Country featuring the spectacular, "Jonah" show at the Sight & Sound Millennium Theater. Enjoy a guided tour of Amish Country including shopping and visiting the Kitchen Kettle Village, while exploring the fascinating details of 19th Century Mennonite religious life. The highlight however is musical "Jonah" on one of the world's largest live performance stages, as these award winning dramatists take you on an extraordinary journey with one of the Bible's most colorful prophets. It's an experience for the whole family. 4-days and 2-nights stay are included in the $390 package including Motorcoach fare from Cincinnati's Kenwood Town Center. To get signed up, or for more information, call Verdell Britton at (513)793-9731.

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Siona Benjamin at Denver's Mizel Museum on May 17, 18 & 20

ALPHA OMEGA ARTS

Image courtesy of press release

COLORADO - Siona Benjamin, a Jewish painter originally from India now living in New Jersey, comes to Denver’s Mizel Museum for a three-day residency from May 17-19, each day highlighting a particular facet of this multi-dimensional artist. Benjamin begins the residency as the guest speaker at one of the museum’s popular Salon Nights on Thursday, May 17, 5:30 p.m. Siona Benjamin’s work reflects her background being raised Jewish in Hindu and Muslim cultures in India. Her paintings combine the imagery of her past with the role she plays in America today, creating mosaics inspired by both Indian miniature paintings and Sephardic icons. For more information, visit http://www.mizelmuseum.org or call 303-394-9993.

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Italian masterpiece returned to Jewish man's heirs

THE TELEGRAPH

"Christ Carrying the Cross Dragged by a Rogue"
is believed to date from 1538  Photo: REUTERS/Philip Sears

FLORIDA - A grandson of Federico Gentili di Giuseppe listened in via teleconference from London as American authorities signed the documents transferring over the Baroque painting titled "Christ Carrying the Cross Dragged by a Rogue." Federico Gentili di Giuseppe, an Italian of Jewish descent, purchased the painting by Girolamo Romano, an artist also known as Romanino, at a 1914 auction in Paris. [link]

The work is believed to have been among more than 70 paintings from Gentili di Giuseppe's collection auctioned by the French Vichy government in 1941, court records indicate. But members of the family who fled the occupation have said the sale was illegal and had sought the painting's return. The family announced that Christie's would sell the painting at an auction this June, saying the art house has estimated it could fetch as much as $3.5 million.

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(VIDEO) Catholics use video art to join partisan fight in Washington DC

CATHOLICS ONLINE



CALIFORNIA - President Obama has set the Catholic Church on fire and now Catholics are firing back. Catholics Called to Witness, a Florida-based non-profit has brought the issue to a point with their viral video, 'Test of Fire'. Opening with a powerful, almost epic musical score, the three-minute video features powerful imagery including a blacksmith forging words from iron that resonate with voters, such as "Jobs," and "Marriage" and "Freedom." Interspersed with the work of the forge, is a woman marking and casting a ballot. While the video is a work of art, it captures perfectly the essence of the struggle that confronts Catholics in the current election cycle. [lin

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Recognizing the Saints, at the Indianapolis Museum of Art

ALPHA OMEGA ARTS
By Ernest O. Britton

"Saint Mary, Saint Benedict, Saint Bernard and Saint Catherine"
by Agnolo Gaddi (Italian, 1340-1396) 

INDIANA - The Indianapolis Museum of Art invites the public for a free, docent-led tour of Catholic Saints this Sunday, April 22 at 2:30. During the 60-minute tour, guest will learn about the many saints who are depicted in the works of religious art and how the use of symbols in the works can reveal who they are. Guests will also learn about the artists of the time, including Agnolo Gaddi (above) a member of an influential family of Florence artists from the mid-1320s until the end of the century.

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(VIDEO) Jonah & the Whale comes to the stage in epic proportions through December

ALPHA OMEGA ARTS



PENNSYLVANIA - The epic production of "Jonah" brings the familiar Bible story to life as the audience witnesses Jonah's tribulation and God's grace and enduring love. It is the latest original musical from Sight & Sound Theatres and runs through December 29, 2012, in Lancaster County, Pa. Sight & Sound Theatres is the nation's largest Christian theatre company with locations in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, and Branson, Missouri.  For more information about the show or to purchase tickets, visitors can go to http://www.experiencejonah.com/  or call 800-377-1277.

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(VIDEO) New Islamic Art documentary to be shown at the Indianapolis Museum of Art

ALPHA OMEGA ARTS
By Tahlib



INDIANA - In advance of the Indianapolis Museum of Art's exhibition "Beauty & Belief: Crossing Bridges with the Arts of Islamic Culture" (November 2, 2012-January 13, 2013), members are invited to enjoy a sneak preview of a documentary about Islamic art on Friday, May 18 at 7 pm. The 90-minute film's worldwide premiere was on December 1st at the Kennedy Center in Washington, DC.

Since then, it has been hosted at regional premiers across the country including on March 10 in Chicago; March 15 in NYC at the Metropolitan Museum of Art; Dallas, TX on March 31; and it will be shown in Cincinnati, Ohio on April 18 at the Islamic Center of Greater Cincinnati. These and many other viewings are all in advance of the PBS television premiere this summer.

The documentary journeys to nine countries, and explores over 1,400 years of history, art and architecture. It is narrated by Academy Award winning performer, and well known spiritual & peace activist Susan Sarandon. For more information on the premiere of "Islamic Art: Mirror of the World" at the Indianapolis Museum of Art, call (317)920-2660.

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Peter Howson, a religious painter of "suffering" and human monstrosities

ARTNET
By Donald Kuspit

"Jesus Falls for the First Time" (2003) by Peter Howson

UNITED KINGDOM - For Hieronymus Bosch, “only individual abnormalities, excessive individuality, caricature have any meaning,” writes Max Friedländer. The very idea of the Passion of Christ evokes in his mind an orgy of mockery and devilish spite and he cannot invent enough hideous monstrosities to pour down hatred and contempt on the adversaries of Our Lord, whereas the divine suffering seems vague or even ambiguous.” It is the same for Peter Howson, also a religious painter of suffering, but he does not have to invent his hideous human monstrosities: he finds them on the streets of Glasgow. Bosch was also a “moralist,” ....as it is with Howson. [link]

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Canadian Religious Artist William Kurelek to get retrospective this summer

ALPHA OMEGA ARTS

"Tower of Babel" (1954) by William Kurelek

CANADA - The Art Gallery of Greater Victora (AGGV) will present a retrospective entitled, "William Kurelek: The Messenger" from May 25th through September 3rd 2012. Throughout a career that spanned from mid-1950s until his death, William Kurelek (1927-1977) and his art was a chronicler of the cultural experiences of various cultural groups including Jewish, Irish, Inuit, and in later years was deeply influenced by his conversion to Roman Catholicism. (Read More: Art Knowledge News)

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Indianapolis Church's May 6 Art Auction Debut to Reflect 'Life's Journey'

ALPHA OMEGA ARTS
By Tahlib

"Saint Volmar" (2012) by Tony Melendez

INDIANA - Respected for its multicultural diversity, and provocative advertising including the attention getting, "Who Stole Jesus?" campaign of 32 billboards, and hundreds of yard signs, magnetic bumper stickers, and t-shirts, an Indianapolis pentecostal-leaning church will soon add another very colorful feather to its cap. LifeJourney Church, a gay & non-gay mixed congregation will host an inaugural silent auction & artist program on Sunday, May 6th at 6pm, with an exhibition preview beginning April 22. All proceeds benefit LifeJourney Church, and features popular local artists such as A&O INSPIRE ME! artist Tony Melendez (above). For more information, please email "Michelle Dartis" at mdartis(@)att.net.

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Quoting Takashi Murakami on spiritual knowledge

“I hate death. I don’t like to die. A Taiwanese feng shui master said,
touching my hand, ‘you will die at 79.’ I screamed:
‘Please don’t tell me about that!’”
~ TAKASHI MURAKAMI

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Preservation Award Winner: Mary Holland for preserving closed churches

BUFFALO RISING

NEW YORK - Preservation Buffalo Niagara is recognizing outstanding preservation projects and those contributing to preservation efforts at its annual awards ceremony May 30. Mary Holland is being recognized in the 'Stewardship' category. With the announced closing of St. Francis Xavier Catholic Church in 2007, Mary saw an opportunity for a means of preserving and displaying the art and artifacts from closed houses of worship which had enriched so many neighborhoods. Upon completion of the sale, a committee was formed and the Buffalo Religious Arts Center (BRAC) came into being. [link]

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Insurance Advice for the Increasing Popular Trend of Art Collecting

PROPERTY CASUALTY
By Heather Struck, Reuters

NEW YORK - Art collecting and visiting is becoming increasingly popular, as evidenced by more and better-attended shows and robust auctions. In the first quarter of 2012, prices of postwar and contemporary art sold at auction were up 29.6 percent from the same period the year before, for example. At the same time, art buying is becoming more democratic. Buyers no longer need a dealer to purchase a work, according to Dena Crosson, an private appraiser with Crosson Fine Art in Bethesda, Maryland. But their work and expense does not end when the check is written. Collectors have to figure out how to protect their investments and avoid common pitfalls. ACCIDENTS HAPPEN! [link].

Most art insurance policies will cover physical damage from accidents like fire, flood, paintings falling off their hooks and even misguided and totally-against-the-rules football tosses. These risks are common enough, and insurance should be a mandatory step in buying art, says Kelly [independent art advisor Megan Fox Kelly in New York]. "I can't encourage people enough to insure their art investments," she says. Art coverage can be added to a homeowners policy, for as little as $1 or $2 a year per $1,000 of art. But the caps in those policy may be too low and a separate art policy might be better, says John Buxton, a Dallas, Texas, appraiser. Having an art work appraised is part of every art buyer's experience when they want to sell, but, because values of contemporary art can go up and down from one auction to the next, owners could save a significant amount in insurance premiums by keeping appraisals up to date.

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India Assoc. of Indianapolis presents Holi Festival of Colors on Saturday, April 21

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Buddhist and Hindu Kathmandu art in Robert Beer's visions of the divine at the October Gallery

CULTURE 24
By Ben Miller

Bardo Mandala of the Hundred Peaceful and Wrathful Deities' (2006) by Dorje Tamang

UNITED KINGDOM - Experts on the Buddhist and Hindu art the October Gallery devotes a spring show to are rarely as oracular as Robert Beer. The author and illustrator of The Encyclopedia of Tibetan Symbols and Motifs has spent a lifetime studying art from the sky-shadowed plateau. Since 1997, he’s worked with artists in the Kathmandu Valley, nurturing their skills to craft the most extensive collection of contemporary art from the region. Exhibition: Robert Beer: Visions of the Divine, October Gallery, London, April 19 – May 26 2012 [link]

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El Anatsui, Africa's Greatest Contemporary Religious Artist -- Now at Indianapolis Museum of Art

ALPHA OMEGA ARTS
By Tahlib

"Duvor - Communal Cloth" (2007) by El Anatsui | Ghanaian, materials aluminum, copper wire dimensions 13 x 17 ft. 

INDIANA---As one of Africa's most influential contemporary artists, El Anatsui makes metal wall sculptures resembling draped and bunched cloths that are similar in pattern to traditional West African strip woven textiles. Anatsui's work is constructed of discarded and flattened liquor bottle caps, stitched together using copper wires. By transforming discarded objects into works of art, Anatsui comments on spirituality, consumerism, disposability, and the colonial legacy. From the artist via (October Gallery, London) in February 2007; purchased by Indianapolis Museum of Art (2007). [Video]

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Dutch Catholic Church closings create opportunity for antique religious items in Latin America

NTD TELEVISION

NETHERLANDS - For years, the diocese [Watch Video] of s'Hertogensbosch and Eindhovenegan were trying to find a new religious home for everything from fine gold and silver vessels used at Mass to heavy wooden pews no longer in use. Now a cathedral in the Dominican Republic boasts a marble altar from a church in Eindhoven, whilst its former home is being turned into a health center. The steep drop in Dutch religious practice over the past half century has forced many Catholic churches to close, leaving a growing surplus of their religious artwork. Now, with the decline of the faith in Europe and its growth elsewhere, two-thirds of them are found in Latin America, Africa and Asia. [link]

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Kehinde's three Muses: Spiritual, Emotions, and Experience at the Jewish Museum

ALGEMEINER
By Maxine Dovere

Associate Curator of the Jewish Museum Karen Levitov is dwarfed by the monumental work of Kehinde Wiley. Titled "Abed Al Ahse and Chalked El Aweari," this painting shows two young men in Israel. Photo: Maxine Dovere.

NEW YORK - Spiritual concepts, emotions or experiences may spark an artist’s creative imagination. Kehinde Wiley is inspired by all three. The Jewish Museum in New York City is currently exhibiting The World Stage: Israel, a series of paintings by Wiley, in its Bloomberg Gallery. Wiley found the muse for his monumental works in traditional European Jewish paper cuttings and ancient Hebraic embroidery, integrating realistic representations of Israeli youths of Ethiopian heritage—painted with almost photographic reality. [link]

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Find "Redemption" at the Flowers Gallery in NYC, and Thank Artist Peter Howson

ALPHA OMEGA ARTS
By Tahlib

"Outcast" (2011) by Peter Howson

NEW YORK - Scottish painter Peter Howson is currently exhibiting, recent paintings, and older drawings at the Flowers Gallery through May 5th, 2012. The exhibition entitled, "Redemption" is as deeply disturbing as it is masterfully executed. Howson deals passionately with spiritual themes, and deserves his international reputation as one of his generation’s leading figurative painters. In the four-foot tall painting "Outcast" (above) Howson has used impastos to render a tranquil, but suffering Christ, surrounded by a group of pariahs still clawing at him for undeserved blessings. 529 West 20th St and phone number: 212 439 1700.

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Private collectors, the unsung heros of the religious arts

CHURCH AND ART NETWORK
By Luann Jennings

"Hades II" (2011) by Peter Howson | Courtesy Artnet
in “Peter Howson: Redemption” at Flowers Gallery New York

I met John Kohan at the opening of an exhibition by Scottish artist Peter Howson, “Redemption,” at Flowers Gallery in New York City. As John and I chatted about mutual friends and Howson’s work, I was struck by the realization that the collector and patron is the great unrecognized hero of the arts. The fact that John is passionate about art containing overtly religious themes was deeply refreshing to me after years of hearing artists lament that they can’t express their faith in their work because it would be professionally marginalizing. John Kohan is on a one-man campaign to prove that wrong.  [link]

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The Maastricht Art Fair, where Collectors (not Browsers) gather

THE NEW YORK TIMES
By Guy Trebay

The sort of buyers one sees at the Maastricht art fair are not only gratified by their own monograms or cyphers, but also have titles and crests. “Collecting is about connecting to people and sharing,” said Mr. Gabr, whose dark sunglasses were perhaps worn as protection against the blinding gloss of pictures varnished and restored to the high finish modern collectors seem to prefer [Shafik Gabr, a billionaire Egyptian financier].

Dealers who arrived at the fair, which opened for an invitation-only preview on March 15, fretful that the economic woes of the euro zone would cut into sales, seemed to breathe more easily when big-ticket items sold quickly. Maastricht is a long fair — 10 days — and it is too early to gauge the final results. Yet perhaps what the New York antiques dealer Carlton Hobbs called “the flight to beauty” among the super wealthy was evidenced by the fact that, within hours of the fair’s preview opening, a Rubens Crucifixion sold for perhaps as much as $3.9 million to a Boston couple....)....[link]

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Egyptians mark inter-religious Holy-day of SHAM EL-NASIM with painted Eggs

AHROM ONLINE

Sham_el-Nessim egg | Courtsey of Noblese

EGYPT - Monday 16 April marks Sham El-Nasim, which Copts celebrate each year as part of Easter. It is also one of the few days that Egyptians of all religions celebrate together, since ancient times. Egyptians mark the day spending time with their families and friends. Salted fish is the main dish of the day and eggs are painted — a ritual linked to ancient Egyptian feasts since 2700BC. However, in the wake of January 25 Revolution, with Islamists dominating the political and social scene, claims have been made by some Islamists that the feast is unIslamic and ought to be prohibited. [link]

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Thai painter, Manut Lao-on's Buddhist inspired art gets first solo exhibition

BANGKOK POST

"Upside down" (2010) Courtsey of 100 Tonson Gallery

THAILAND - 100 Tonson Gallery presents Uncover, the first solo exhibition by Manut Lao-on _ a Thai painter from Silpakorn University whose acrylic on canvas paintings reveal the experiences and casualties of life. Inspired by Buddhist principles, the budding artist uses a picture of himself to represent a human being who is trying to understand Buddhist philosophy in order to apply it to solving daily problems. [link]

"So eagerly crave"  (2009)

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Rest In Peace: Bernard Gruenke, Stained-glass artist, age 99

JOURNAL SENTINEL | MILWAUKEE

WISCONSIN - Bernard Gruenke's passion for the arts developed early and had as many facets as the religious mosaic-like stained-glass works for which he became famous. He began his art explorations at the Layton School of Art in Milwaukee, spent time at the Corcoran Art School in Washington, D.C., and drew portraits in South Carolina before he sought out Conrad Schmitt's architectural arts studio in New Berlin. Gruenke, a renowned stained-glass artist whose work decorates churches around the country, died March 31. He was 99. [link]

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Art, Wine, and Prohibition in India

NYDAILY NEWS
By Madhusree Chatterjee

Image courtesy of Scientific Gallery

INDIA - Food in conceptual art seeks to connect the visual with the cerebral and the visceral, says Indonesian contemporary Julian Abraham, who is working on the concept of fermentation, wine, prohibition and faith with installations. His new work, 'Karma Wine: Kapitan Biopunk', a multimedia installation on display in the national capital recently, relates to the art and science of wine-making. The wine is tamarind water fermented over two weeks by the artist. 'I have used the concept of a religious rite wherein the worshipper prays to the guru expecting a good life and probably a good afterlife. [link]

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Where is your A&O Weekly Religious Art News?

ALPHA OMEGA ARTS
By Tahlib

The RELIGIOUS ART | NEWS OF WEEK is a Hinduism inspired watercolor show by New Zealand illustrator Kelly Spencer, but somehow that didn't end up in the mailbox of all A&O subscribers! We apologize, and invite you to view the week's A&O religious art news right now (summarized this week by Ernest Britton) by clicking through to "Religious Art | News of Week." Lastly, while I have zero explanation of what went wrong (and why you were instead sent Thomas Kinkade news reports), I will figure out the problem to prevent it from happening again! [View]

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Daniel Cooper's "Seasons" & Caspar David Friedrich

ALPHA OMEGA ARTS
By TAHLIB

"Seasons" (2011) by Daniel Cooper, acrylic on canvas

"The Stages of Life" (1834) by Caspar David Friedrich

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Derrick Carter's Transdiction

ALPHA OMEGA ARTS
By TAHLIB

"Transdiction" (2011), acrylic & sand on canvas

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Hack “Artist” & Christian Hypocrite Thomas Kinkade

CONSERVATIVE BABLYON

Hack “Artist” & Christian Hypocrite Thomas Kinkade Dies. Moral apex: After careful consideration, we have to choose the time he took a leak on a Winnie the Pooh statue. FBI investigations and other charges of fraud aside, you really can’t get much lower than peeing on Christopher Robin’s best friend… unless it’s getting busted on a DUI… or grabbing a woman’s boob… or hawking mass-produced, crassly commercial, perspective-crippled “art,” in which the windows of tightly-sealed gingerbread cottages glow with the hellish intensity of a nuclear bomb at the exact moment of fission, and blaming the result on God. [link]

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RELIGIOUS ART | NEWS OF WEEK

ALPHA OMEGA ARTS
By Tahlib

"DEVAS" a new show of watercolors by illustrator Kelly Spencer is the NEWS OF WEEK. Spencer's inspiring collection of Hindu Devas and Avatars opened this week in Wellington, New Zealand, and will soon go on display at the Mint Gallery in Atlanta, Georgia. Information on "Energy, Paralysed" (above) and other works is available at Spencer's website, kellyspencer.co.nz.

INTERFAITH MIX-UP:

• The $7,500 Needham Religious Art Prize competition announced it is seeking entries for 2012.
• Eighty Mexican masterworks from the 8,000 work Andrés Blaisten Collection to go on display at the Meadows Museum at Southern Methodist University in Dallas, TX.

BUDDHISM IN ART:

• Artist, Loeum Lorn’s paints "ice" to explore the Buddhist concept of the impermanence of life.
• The sacred syllable, "SA," the Sanskrit seed syllable of Avalokitesvara, the Bodhisattva of Compassion breathes life into Canadian Bill Goer's artwork.
• The world took note this week as a major donation propeled London into becoming a world center for the study of Buddhist art.
• In advance of Buddha Day on May 6, 2012, PBS invites audiences to review an online collection of Buddhist art created for David Grubin's animated documentary, "The Buddha."

HINDUISM IN ART:

• New Zealand illustrator Kelly Spencer is bringing her evocative Hinduism inspired watercolors to Atlanta's Mint Gallery.

ISLAM IN ART:

• Brigham Young University's Museum of Art explores connection between Mormonism and Islam by mounting traveling exhibition of Islamic Art.

JUDAISM IN ART:

• The 8-day festival of the Jewish "Passover" ended yesterday, Saturday, April 14, 2012.
• Jewish scholar, Matthew Baigell article examining the potency of Jewish artists in healing social ills has been published in Ars Judaica.

CHRISTIANITY IN ART:

• NYC born artist, Tony Melendez to be the featured artist on Sunday, May 6 for the next A&O Meetup in Indianapolis.
• Tahlib's Holy Week experience told through Resurrection Week Art for 2012. 
• Jazz musician Tim Horner surprises Indianapolis audience with composition triggered by a medieval painting titled "Christ of Thorns."
• Scientist reports that his research proves that the Shroud of Turin is real, but that's it's also no miracle.
• Art Critic, Brian Sherman strikes back at anti-Christian bias in the elite artworld, and proves you can get paid for it too.
• Florida artist, Shauna Lange creates beautifully complex Christian-themed collages, but she doesn't display them because she wants to avoid controversies with the arts elite.
• Lavish new book of Church art released by Cincinnati photographer Robert Flischel.
• Dayton, Ohio artist, Matt Burgy is using his artwork to evangelize in southern Ohio.
• New stories popped up daily this week following the death of Thomas Kinkade, but the biggest story was that an autopsy was completed and the exact cause won't be known for weeks.
• Bishop TD Jakes' latest film, "Woman Thou Art Loosed On the 7th Day" will hit theaters soon.

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Brother says painter Thomas Kinkade battled alcoholism

THE REPORTER
By Julia Prodis Sulek

Decades of mean-spirited personal attacks against Thomas Kinkade for the bucolic images of storybook cottages he painted, as well as a heartbreaking split from his wife and four daughters two years ago, had taken a toll on the famous "Painter of Light," his brother said Thursday. He turned to the bottle, battling alcoholism over the past four or five years, Patrick Kinkade said of his brother in an exclusive interview with this newspaper. Even though he had sobered up and had been "in his studio painting religiously" over the past few months, he said, Thomas Kinkade had a relapse just before his death last Friday at his hillside home in Monte Sereno. [link]

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Thomas Kinkade owed creditors $9M, and all art sale proceeds will go to those bills

THE CHRISTIAN POST
By Brittney R. Villalva

CALIFORNIA - The finances of Thomas Kinkade have surfaced following the well-known painter's death that came unexpectedly over the weekend. Following his passing however, it has been revealed that Kinkade had collected a substantial amount of debt. Although it was apparent that Kinkade had faced financial difficulties because his Morgan Hill Company was forced to file for bankruptcy in 2010 with $6.2 million in unpaid expenses, the extent of his debt appeared to remain unknown. According to Newser, Kinkade passed with an estimated $9 million of debt, which was owed to at least 165 creditors. [link]

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"Christ of Thorns" artwork inspires contemporary Jazz composition

INDIANAPOLIS STAR
By Jay Harvey

Jesus Carrying the Cross as portrayed by El Greco 1580
(Courtesy of Wikipedia for illustrative purposes only)

INDIANA - Tim Horner's associations throughout the jazz world stretch back over 30 years and could well have produced a musician so adaptable that his playing would reveal little personality. Horner's inspiration from visual art -- from a 13th-century religious work to Picasso's "Le Repas Frugal" -- and his musical curiosity were well-represented in his compositions, which reflect his formative training at Boston's Berklee College of Music.  It's pretty unusual for a jazz piece to be triggered by a medieval painting titled "Christ of Thorns," but Horner's "Museum Piece," a trio number, lived up to that sobering inspiration. [link]

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Modern Mexican Painting from the Andrés Blaisten Collection

ALPHA OMEGA ARTS
By Tahlib

"The Muses" (1936) by Manuel Rodriguez Lozano

TEXAS –  Assembled over a period of 30 years, the Andrés Blaisten Collection has become a reference and one of the most complete readings of early 20th-century art in Mexico. From April 29 through August 12, the Meadows Museum at Southern Methodist University is delighted to host "Modern Mexican Painting from the Andrés Blaisten Collection," an exhibition of 80 fundamental works from this esteemed collection by more than 40 outstanding Mexican artists of the early 20th century including Diego Rivera. [link]

"San Rafael Arcangel" by Miguel Cabrera

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Christian artist creates, but doesn't display to avoid wrath of the elite arts world

WND | WORLD NEWS DAILY
By Marisa Martin

"Child" by Shauna Lange

FLORIDA - [Shauna] Lange makes artists’ books, illustrated journals (visual diaries) religious cards and other images. She often inserts a message, poem or a line from the Bible. Inspired by different types of Christian messages and music, she explains how they speak to her, moving her to tears at times, even though she may be “joyful and happy.” This often happens when she attends church. While in this “transformative state” of joy, listening to great preachers or moving gospel music, she creates much of her Christian-oriented art. “I rarely show my Christian pieces in any of the exhibitions I participate in nationally,” Lange explains, because they may “elicit negative or controversial responses” she isn’t quite steeled yet to fight. [link]

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Jewish scholar examines the potency of Jewish artists in healing social ills

ARS JUDAICA
By Matthew Baigell

Yona Verwer moved to New York in 1978 from the Netherlands. The attack in New York, she felt, presented her with a personal mandate both to protect the weak and to fix or repair the world. After the attack on 9/11, she developed three ongoing series which culminated in the Temple Talismans: Protection Amulets for Synagogues series. She wants to draw, as she expressed it positive energy from them. [link] 

Verwer calls these works amulets because amulets traditionally are work or place on objects for protection and to bring good luck. The amulet illustrated here, Stanton Street Synagogue Amulet I (2009) (fig. 19), is a particularly poignant example. The Star of David is copied from a window in the Stanton Street Synagogue in New York City's Lower East Side and build by immigrants from Galacia.

The animal forms are derived from similar designs that once decorated synagogues destroyed by the Germans in the region that is now a part of Poland and the Ukraine. The hamsa represents God's protective hand; the Statue of Liberty is seen through the smoke cause by the attack on the Twin Towers. The preceeding text is from "Social Concern and Tikkun Olam in Jewish American Art" by Matthew Baigell and is published in 'Ars Judaica' at the Bar-Ilan University.

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TD Jakes' 'Woman Thou Art Loosed On the 7th Day" hits theaters soon

CHRISTIAN POST
By Jessica Brooks

Bishop TD Jakes is set to present the second series of "Woman Thou Art Loosed," titled "Woman Thou Art Loosed: On The 7th Day." The film, described as a "dramatic thriller," depicts the life of David (Blair Underwood) and Kari (Sharon Leal) Ames, who seemingly have the perfect life in New Orleans with their soon to be 7-year-old daughter. Their world is shattered when their daughter is suddenly kidnapped. [link]

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Dayton, Ohio artist, Matt Burgy seeks to evangelize with his artwork

DAYTON DAILY NEWS
By Pamela Dillon

Matthew R. Burgy in his Waynesville studio.

OHIO - Visual artists typically have an evolving passion for an idea or cause that drives their creativity. The intensity of their feelings motivates them to a higher level. Waynesville resident Matthew R. Burgy, 29, is one such artist. Burgy also enjoys using abstract imagery to represent his faith. “Catholics believe perfect-sided shapes and solid white squares represent the divine,” Burgy said. “I want to use abstraction as part of my ministry to try to communicate the heart of the issues. Then I have to explain their meanings.”[link]

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Porn artist Ralph Bakshi says: Thomas Kincade was a misunderstood artist, like himself

COMICS ALLIANCE
By Andy Khouri

Kinkade once worked for porn-animation producer Ralph Bakshi

The late painter Thomas Kinkade, who died suddenly a few days ago of as yet undetermined causes, was a polarizing figure in the art world. Kinkade called himself a "painter of light" whose art agent was God himself. But the memory of Kinkade has found itself an unexpected defender: animator Ralph Bakshi, the author of subversive films including Fritz the Cat [See R.Crumb] and Cool World, who mentored Kinkade when the painter worked as a background artist on Fire and Ice. [link]

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Artist, Loeum Lorn’s contemporary Buddhist art reflects impermanence of life

PHNOM PENH POST
By Roger Nelson

Photograph of paint over blocks of ice as they melt. 

VIETNAM - The titles of Loeum Lorn Lorn’s works – "Everything is Connected," "Constant Flux," "The Non-Self" – offer a handy insight to their significance for the artist. “My work has a very close connection with the dharma and with Buddhism,” Loeum Lorn explains, “and the dharma is like a natural law to me.” He is one of several Southeast Asian artists who use melting ice as a symbol for life’s swiftly changing nature, but his work is unique in focusing on the fine detail of the process. 'Yesterday, No More' will be on display at the Java Cafe & Gallery, 56 Sihanouk Boulevard, Phnom Penh, until May 13. It is open daily from 7am to 10pm. [link]

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Collector: Andrés Blaisten's Collection at the Meadow's Museum

ART KNOWLEDGE NEWS

"Our Ancient Gods" (1916) by Saturnino Herran 

TEXAS - Andrés Blaisten, whose collection is comprised of over 8,000 works of art—including paintings, sculpture, drawings, and print—first began collecting while studying painting at the Academy of San Carlos in Mexico City in the late 1960s. This summer, visitors to the Meadows Museum will have the opportunity to experience one of the greatest collections of modern Mexican art in the world. "Mexican Modern Painting from the Andrés Blaisten Collection" will feature a selection of eighty paintings from this singular group of works and will be on display from April 29th through August 12th.  [link]

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Needham Religious Art Prize, seeking entries for 2012

ABC ONLINE | AUSTRALIA

AUSTRALIA - One of the region's longest running art prizes is again open for entries. Each year the Needham Religious Art Prize challenges artists to portray an event, character, story or truth from the Bible. The prize has been running since 1998 as an initiative of the Anglican Parish of Mount Gambier. The winners will receive $7500 in prize money. [link]

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London poised to become a world centre of Buddhist art studies

THE GUARDIAN
By Dayla Alberge

Detail of a 17th-century wall painting in the Lama Lhakang, Trongsa Dzong, Bhutan

UNITED KINGDOM - London is set to seal its status as one of the leading western centres for the study and conservation of Buddhist art, following a remarkable private donation of more than £2.5m to the Courtauld Institute of Art in London. The gift comes from a devout Buddhist, Robert YC Ho, a Hong Kong benefactor who is continuing a family tradition of philanthropy that dates back to the 19th century. The donation will allow the Courtauld to establish an endowment for a postgraduate degree devoted to Buddhist art, examining it from the points of view of religion, history and conservation. [link]

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Resurrection Week Art | 2012

ALPHA OMEGA ARTS
By Tahlib

Easter Bonnet Parade in front of St. Patrick's Cathedral, NYC

NEW YORK - While painter Tony Melendez (b. NY) created the featured 2012 Holy-day Art for Easter, it was Thomas Kinkade (b. CA) who created with his death, albeit unintentionally the most lasting memory for what Easter means for Christians in America. He even got a mention in our Pastor's Easter Sermon. He has made the major news all week, and has been a big draw for discussions on FaceBook too. Even his artwork is flying off the walls, according to some dealers.

Thomas Kincade with "Prayer for Peace"
Courtesy of USA Today

But while it's exciting to wait for the latest news about Kincade, the week is still not about him and so I've posted my favorites Holy Week pictures, from personal experience but also what I've gleaned from the news around the world. I begin with the monumental happening in the Philippines, then Jerusalem, Indianapolis, Cincinnati, and end up back here in NYC. The first image is from the Los Angeles Times, featuring self-taught artist Ronald Bautista worked on his version of the Passion of Christ for his neighborhood’s observance of Holy Week.

Self-taught artist Ronald Bautista works on his version of the Passion of Christ
Courtesy of Los Angeles Times

Good Friday events from around the world also delivered compelling images including my own city of Indianapolis with a re-enactment of the Way of the Cross through the streets of Indianapolis in a procession organized by the city's growing Latino population. It is sponsored by Saint Mary's Catholic Church with support from all the area churches.

Indianapolis Way of the Cross courtesy of Greg Disney

Next, I was intrigued by this image from Israel, where Christian Arab worshipers carry a large wooden cross along the Via Dolorosa as they enter the Church of the Holy Sepulchre during the Good Friday procession in Jerusalem’s Old City.

Jerusalem — Christian Arabs carry a large wooden cross on Good Friday.
Courtesy of Los Angeles Times

There were also disturbing images I came across through my Twitter connections. The first makes a viscerally strong connection between the crucifixion of Christ and the lynching of Gay icon Mathew Shepard. Well done. The second by Tom Torluemke, well....I'm not sure what to make of it other than it's disturbing. Both were sent out on Good Friday.

"Matthew" (2011) by Leivur Reinert Djurhuus

"My Dad Mocking Christ" (2009) by Tom Torluemke,
acrylic on canvas, 36 x 24" via Facebook

But the reason for Holy Week is the Resurrection, and so my favorite is from Kai Daniels in Cincinnati, via his Dad in Indianapolis. It's Kai's first batch of Easter Eggs created on his own, a reminder of new birth but also for his Dad, a reminder of a small boy becoming a grown man. They look great, don't they?

Kai's Easter Eggs | First time coloring on own

I made this with help from Target

In closing, I'll return to Thomas Kinkade. I can't help but wonder if he is somehow happy, that if he "had to" die, how incredible it must be for a Christian icon to have died on Good Friday so that we would all have him on our minds again this Easter season? On Sunday in New York City, as my family sat in church, we included a prayer for the Painter of Light, but admittedly since it's NYC, the highlight of our day was actually the Easter Bonnet Parade along Fifth Ave (See photos below). What did you do for Easter 2012; and while telling us please also check out our Resurrection Week "Art Archives" since 2008.

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