art is cheap, photography is cheaper
Nils Vik and I met after an Andy and Dallas show (remember them?). His band, Wide Awake City, had headlined the show, and I had struck up a conversation with them, about Winnipeg, or Belle and Sebastian, or something. Through the wonders of the internet, Nils and I leave each other facebook comments every once and a while, and I ended up remixing a WAC song.
Nils is a brilliant photographer, in my opinion, and his photography exibit "Art Is Cheap, Photography Is Cheaper" is full of relevant, important pictures. Pictures that manage to be beautiful and prophetic, the combination being an art form in itself.
It makes me wonder about the merit of art in the church (this wouldn't be a good kingdom post if it didn't feature a raving rant on the state of the modern church, right?). Where are our prophets? I'm convinced that my church, an average Fraser Valley MB church, does not consider art in the church relevant, or important at all.
What's upsetting about this is the connection between stories, art, and the way that we present the love of Christ. Preachers have got a serious thing for this format: funny story, connect it to the Gospel, repeat. But it seems like the times when the word of God really gets across is through an actual story. So think of the stories that are told through pieces of art, like Nils' pictures. I think we need to give people like Nils more of an oppurtunity to speak truth, and give less oppurtunities to useless words from preachers.
2 comments:
It is a challenge to tell stories filled with truth, instead of just making statements and points. Brad called me on that one recently.
We do respond more deeply to stories. I have to wonder why the we aren't telling more stories, more narratives of honesty.
I know that, somewhere out there, there are people who do care for stories and honesty as much as we do.
i totally didn't notice this post till just now...hmm. but it came at the right time, 'cause i was just pondering related things over the weekend.
it's strange that the church has this residual hangup on explaining things to death ... seemingly either not trusting the Spirit enough to leave questions in the air or to present mystery (one of the great vehicles of spiritual growth--media like narrative/story and art!) OR just failing to acknowledge these methods.
i was sitting in church on sunday back home wondering why all the sermons i've heard all my life (and been taught to present) have been structured "lessons" rather than anything resembling Christ's teachings...
a great concept i feel our generation is being called to raise up and ponder in our hearts and ministries! spread the word, friends. thanks for bringing this to the kingdom table, jamison ;)
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