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Poor
Relation September 2003
I believe that there is a crying need in the Church for textiles to be treated with greater flair and imagination in their contribution to worship. Sadly, many designs seem to want to 'preach' at the viewer; they are strident and hortatory. What is needed, surely, is much greater subtlety and an attempt to work with the integrity of the materials in such a way that theology is 'revealed' rather than declaimed. There really is a difference between art as propaganda and art as revelation - and it's this difference which we all need to explore with patience, honesty and humility.
Christopher Herbert
Bishop of St Albans
Poor
Relation September 2003
We live in a time when the Christian faith struggles to make itself heard and understood. Most of the traditional methods and many of the traditional symbols of Christianity no longer speak to people as they once did. Even that most central of Christian symbols - the cross - has become little more than a fashion icon for many people. Ours is also a time when traditional ways and means of being the church are under threat and changing. New ways of engaging people with the Christian message are needed. Though it is often not really believed by even the faithful themselves, we really do only have symbols and metaphors - artistic and linguistic - through which we can speak of God at all. And while the biblical tradition is rich with a wide range of metaphor for our talk about God, the Christian tradition has generally only 'canonised' a few of them, and these are becoming a little tired. Churches need to be a bit more adventurous - and less timid - in their attempts to engage people with the Gospel. Putting a cross in front of people may no longer work; starting with where they are just might. It might be important for us to be brave enough not to simply do the usual thing when it comes to words, liturgy and art, but to allow our God to be incarnate in ordinary things and to consecrate them for God's use.
This bore some visual fruit for me when I was Vicar of the Parish of Putney in Southwark Diocese. We commissioned a new set of vestments for the church: four chasubles, two stoles for each, and lectern falls to match, because the church is essentially modern, the artist was given a free hand to create the vestments out of that context. We did not insist on any traditional images, and none were in evidence. What we did get, however, were vestments that fitted both the building and the urban context. As things of beauty they added to our worship simply by their design. But more than that, by consciously taking up important Christian themes and treating them artistically rather than traditionally, those themes came alive in a new way - and a way that was much more engaging because of it. The St Mary's vestments were profoundly theological: but that theology was not confused with traditional ways of expressing it artistically. Their success arises from their organic link to the physical and cultural context in which they were created and in which they are used. They may not be successful in that same way for ever: but that, too, is a part of the point. Art, like the Christian faith itself, needs to be responsive and contextual or it is not worth very much.
The Reverend Canon Jonathan Draper
Canon Theologian, York Minster
The
state of ecclesiastical embroideryI was glad to read Judith Peacock's serious reflection on the state of ecclesiastical embroidery. Though I agree, in general, with her analysis of the current state of affairs, I think we also need to look at the numbers and trends behind the story. (Note: my perspective is that of an Anglican in the US who follows the news of the Church of England and has visited the UK on several occasions.)
In the reports I have read, about 8% of UK population attend Christian churches regularly. Of that number, the majority are people over 50 who were raised in the Church. Fewer younger people have that background and context. Some expect the number to drop another 2% by 2020. Increasingly people are defining themselves as "spiritual" but not "religious" in the sense of participation in a traditional denomination. Those who are involved tend increasingly (in the US as well as the UK as I understand it) to be in evangelical or fundamentalist groups.
There are several implications:
In thinking about ecclesiastical embroidery, we need to respond to the vast change in religious demographics and finances that has occurred since the early 1960s and the apex of Beryl Dean's work. Revitalizing the vesture of worship is important as the poetry of ritual that can speak very powerfully. But, acknowledging that only 8% of the population might regularly experience liturgy, we need to place equal, if not greater, focus on expressing those poetic truths in art and settings not traditionally considered ecclesiastical.
Judith Miller
jdthmllr1@aol.com
Madison, Wisconsin, USA
Poor
Relation When visiting the beautiful Cathedrals in the UK I'm drawn to the art. I particularly like to see some textile-related art, always hoping to find examples of the high quality work I've come across in the 'outside world'. Unfortunately I'm often disappointed. When I finally read the article in the July issue of Embroidery by Judith Peacock I found it very revealing. At least the image of the altar frontal by Alice Kettle for Winchester Cathedral was encouraging.
Els Daniels, The Netherlands
Poor
RelationJanuary 2004
It was gratifying to see an article dedicated to ecclesiastical embroidery - 'The Poor Relation' - in Embroidery, July 2003.
However, the author should not have referred to my name in the text, as one of 'the relatively rare textile artists' engaged in this field without also including the name of Beryl Patten, with whom I work. Our design partnership - Judy Barry and Beryl Patten - was established in 1973. Since that date, the works we have produced for public places and places of worship have been joint, and equal, undertakings.
By this I refer not only to the design process and design decisions but to the embroidery and stitching; the construction and making-up; the installation - and all the paperwork involved in a business partnership producing works to commission. Neither partner does more, or less, than the other. All the processes are shared. Therefore it is incorrect that I, solely, should be referred to by name. Beryl Patten is equal co-author of all the works we have designed and made since 1973.
Judy Barry