Stations of the Cross Exhibition Opening
05 May 2017 - by
About 70 people gathered on Friday March 17, 2017 for the opening of the Stations of the Cross Exhibition at the Chapel of the Australian Centre for Christianity and Culture.
The exhibition featured artworks from 16 artists who were given a different Station of the Cross each to reflect on and produce an artwork. There were three international artists and 13 Australian artists.
The exhibition opening began with a curator's tour by Reverend Dr Doug Purnell before Professor Sasha Grishin AM, FAHA formally opened the exhibition.
Professor Grishin noted that Stations of the Cross is a fairly modern invention.
"Originally there were anywhere between seven and 30 Stations of the Cross, until the 18th century when Pope Clement XII fixed the number at 14," he said.
"What was central to the idea of the Stations of the Cross was a spiritual visualisation of Christ's last journey on Earth as a man – the path he walked on his final day before the Crucifixion along the Via Dolorosa in Jerusalem up to Mount Calvary.
"Crucial is the role of the spiritual imagination and the transposition in time and space," he said.
The brief given to each of the artists with their allotted station was to engage with the issues and emotions raised by Jesus' journey.
Professor Grishin noted how the artists took universal, personal or cathartic approaches to interpreting their station.
"The painting that stopped me in my tracks is the peculiar canvas by Julie Dowling – simply titled Warangguwa – given in translation as Falling as prompted by the brief that Purnell provided the artist," he said.
Although there is very little in the painting about Christ falling, Professor Grishin wondered if the painting was a witness to a fall of Indigenous culture which the frightened Aboriginal youth are forced to face.
In summing up, Professor Grishin noted the importance of the Christian narrative in the 21st century to provide something that is familiar, universal, fluid and yet deeply personal.
"This is an engaging exhibition by 16 artists who have brought their own perspective to the eternal questions raised by the Stations of the Cross," he said.
The Stations of the Cross exhibition was held from 17-26 March in Canberra before it moved to The Gallery Space, Northmead Creative & Performing Arts High School, 4-17 April. Approximately 220 people visited the Stations of the Cross exhibition in Canberra.
Reverend Dr Doug Purnell has been curating an annual Stations of the Cross exhibition for the last 10 years which has been held in Sydney. This is the first time the exhibition has been in Canberra and it was a collaboration between Northmead Creative and Performing Arts High School, Northmead Uniting Church and the Australian Centre for Christianity and Culture.
Professor Grishin's full address was republished in the Canberra Times on March 20.
Photos from the opening of the exhibition can be viewed on Facebook.