malcolm chamberlain

This is awesome! It's a flipbook 2100 pages long, created entirely with biro pens, and was submitted as a final piece for an AS Level art course. The creator worked on it for about 3 weeks on and off! Oh yes, it passed with full marks (unsurprisingly)!



hat tip... Kester Brewin

Labels: art

This is quite incredible - a very arty interpretation of the Biblical story...



hat tip... Matt Stone

Labels: art, Bible, theology

This short film by Jason van Genderen, shot entirely on a cell phone, has just won the 2008 Tropfest short film award. It is well worth the three and a half minutes to watch it - profound, moving and inspirational, a deserved winner (not that I know much about making short films!)...



hat tip... Matt Stone

Labels: art

Dan Le Sac vs Scroobius Pip, Letter From God To Man (released 28 July 2008)

I love this track! I'm not usually into hip-hop but I have to say that this is a really clever song, and the way that Radiohead's Planet Telex is sampled is pretty cool too. The track can be downloaded from iTunes - well worth the 79p price!

The lyrics are inspired (though I'm not sure about the 'survival of the fittest' bit)! You can read them in full 'here' - this is one of my favourite verses, which kind of shows the general tone...

So I’m writing to apologize for all the horrors committed in my name,
Although that was never what I intended, I feel I should take my share of the blame.
All the good I tried to do was corrupted when all the religion got into full swing,
What I thought were quite clear messages were taken to unusual extremes.
My teachings taken out of context to meet the agendas of others,
Interpretations taken to many different ways and hidden meanings discovered

I don't know where Dan Le Sac or Scroobius Pip are coming from with regard to faith, but their lyrics seem to suggest that God is not at fault for the bad in the world but voluntarily takes responsibility for it. Seems to be a pretty orthodox understanding of the cross to me!

I found the below video on YouTube too which sets the song to some powerful images (flash required)...

Labels: art, popular culture, religion

this is a mega-sized piece of advertising for Mini that is on a major thoroughfare corner in Liverpool city centre... Yes, that is a full-sized Mini (though I suspect just the chassis) suspended on the side of a building on a mock car park! Pretty impressive advertising I say... now, I must go and buy a mini!

Labels: art

I've never joined in with the 'bash Coldplay' games that people seem to enjoy playing, mainly because I actually like them and generally think their music is great. So out I went first thing this morning to buy their latest offering, Viva la Vida or Death and all His Friends aware that some of the reviews warn that it's 'different' and requires a few plays.

I have to say I loved it on first listen - it is without doubt their masterpiece and has an originality about it (despite the hints of Sigur Ros from time to time) - HIGHLY RECOMMENDED (even if you have taken part in Coldplay bashing in the past!)

Labels: art

'This' is great - I love the artwork and the reflection that follows... "Where do we "put the camera" when we read a particular story in the gospels? " is a brilliant question. Thanks Richard!

Labels: art, theology

Every now and then you read something that could have been written specifically for you at the current stage in your life. A few days ago I came across the following blessing from John O'Donohue's Benedictus: A Book of Blessings. Given the changes in my life at the moment, it has really spoken to me and given me courage as I step out into new beginnings. John sadly died on January 3rd, so it seems fitting to post this as an illustration of one more life touched by his work...


hat tip... Paul Fromont

Labels: art, musings, spirituality

This is one of the most gripping and disturbing rock videos I've seen, but it begs the question (as Jonny asked 'here')... what would you do if you only had three minutes to live?

you can download a Quicktime version (33mb) of the video 'here' - great discussion starter!!
In case you're wondering, it's by UNKLE.

hat tip... Jonny Baker

Labels: art, popular culture

The below pictures are part of an amazing art installation by Chris Jordan, depicting the habits of contemporary American (and so western) society, with regard to consumption and waste. 'This' website shows several of the powerful images in the series (and includes an image of one installation on display to give an idea of scale) - it's well worth a visit! Here's a sample...

an image depicting 11,000 jet trails, equal to the number of commercial flights in the US every eight hours...

partial zoom...

details at actual size...

There are more images like this 'here'

Labels: art, politics

A friend of mine has just directed me to Jamendo, a source of free music downloads from unsigned artists operating under the Creative Commons licence. Some good stuff is on there - check out Finland's Project Divinity for starters...

Labels: art, popular culture

... a great cartoon by Dave Walker (which I can really relate to!), highlighting the ridiculous predicament we've got ourselves into with labels, traditions and the like! Bring on a more 'Generous Orthodoxy' (along with the tea!)

Labels: art, fun, religion

'This' new blog from Jon Birch is well worth adding to your reader!

Labels: art, fun, religion, spirituality

'This' is amazing!! Having spent time in Christchurch with Steve and the Majendie's (of Side Door) I can imagine how professionally produced this is, and the missional effect it will have in the city. I love Steve's description of the project...

"This is public mission, taking Jesus back out of church and telling his story in our marketplace, in the City Square and outside the Art Gallery and Museum."

Mission should always be public and yet we spend so much time planning events that we then invite people to (only to be disappointed by how few come!) The Christchurch project shows how it can be done... I wonder what we can do in Liverpool for 2008?!

Labels: art, mission

This month sees the five year anniversary of Side Door, an arts based worshipping community in Christchurch, New Zealand. In March 2004 I had the great fortune of spending several weeks with Peter and Joyce Majendie who coordinate Side Door and are responsible for many of the art installations used in their worship. The web site describes Side Door as...

"... an expression of where we are on our faith journey, originating from a desire to share the liberating experience of being real, open and honest within a small Christian community.

Depression, and living with it, doesn't seem to fit with the "victorious Christian living" doctrine found in much of the institutional church. We have a desire to express worship through the weaknesses and strengths of who we are as individuals, and connect with God and others through artistic and creative avenues.

The healing experience of belonging in a small understanding and caring group of Christians helped begin the rebuilding of our faith in Christ to be relevant in everyday life.

Our artistic endeavours aim to touch people at a deeper level and facilitate an opportunity to respond to Jesus."

My time spent with Peter and Joyce opened my eyes to the amazing way that God works through art when the interpretation is left open to the viewer. I'd go so far as to say that Peter and Joyce set me on a journey in new worship opportunities which enriched my own life, spirituality and ministry, so I owe them a BIG thanks!

Peter & Joyce, along with members of Side Door, also throw themselves 101% into their art installations around the times of Christmas, Lent, Easter and Pentecost - I was with them during a Lent installation and was blown away by the creativity and level of commitment they showed (it's not every day you see a church hall transformed by tonnes of sand and a river running from the stage down the centre of the hall!). Many people with little or no church background visit the installations and are often moved to consider their own life in relation to God through the experience. Below is a slideshow of stations from the Easter 2006 installation, Easter Journey. You can visit the collection for a better look 'here', and see the station titles (as an aside, Peter makes a Cameo appearance in station 11!). Thanks to Peter and Joyce for the photos and permission to post them.

Happy Birthday Side Door - thanks (on behalf of so many) for the journey so far and may God continue to meet with you through your creativity and openness in the years to come...

Labels: alternative worship, art

Back from a week's holiday for a few days of 'catching up' and 'getting ready' before Greenbelt. A quick post here to direct anyone who has not yet found it to a great blog from a good friend of mine! Pilgrim's Progress is an inspiring collection of digital artwork and written reflections that will definitely get you thinking and, more often than not, thanking the Creator for sharing such wonderful gifts of creativity. Richard has been blogging for much longer than I have (and gave me valuable advice when I started blogging), so it's a bit presumptuous to be thinking that I'm plugging him (!) but his last two posts outlining his dreams for the church and leadership are well reading and have prompted me to say so! Go read, enjoy and add him to your blog reader if he's not already there!!

p.s. the title for this post is Richard's own blog strapline, so I lay no claim to it!!

Labels: art, blogs, church

After enjoying Dreamspace with my wife and kids, and blogging about it 'here', 'this' came as a dreadful shock. Pray for those involved...

update... read more from the BBC 'here', 'here', 'here', 'here', and 'here'

Labels: art

my wife and I took the kids to Dreamspace at Liverpool Metropolitan Cathedral yesterday - they had a great time in a wonderfully ambient setting (with sounds piped into the installation for good effect!) It's there until Sunday of this week, and well worth a visit if you're in Liverpool. The pictures were taken on my phone camera so don't really capture the amazing effects!

Labels: art