As Christians, we are called to love people. This means that we should support and serve others and not exploit of steal from them. We all know this! But how does this apply to the art traditions that we practice within? How do we actively contribute to them, rather than exploiting them? How can we be blood donors rather than vampires? And where do sharks fit in? That’s what this episode is all about.

If you’d like to join the conversation, please email us at [email protected] . If you’d like to help us continue to make more episodes like this, you can donate to us directly through our website www.faithinthearts.show 

Resources and References:

This episode follows on from our last episode on Barrowclough's album 'The Riddle and the Spyglass'.

Professor Skye - Whiteness in Rap Music & Hip-Hop Culture: Creating A Hip-Hop Class Part 11 (Youtube video) - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sn9fOt-hZbY

Eminem - White America

Eminem - Stepping Stone

Lucy Mckenzie - https://lucymckenzie.com

Michael Mcdonald - I keep forgettin

Kendrick Lamar - The Blacker The Berry

Robin Thicke/Marvin Gaye ‘plagiarism’ issue - https://ethicsunwrapped.utexas.edu/case-study/blurred-lines-copyright

Olivia Rodrigo/Paramore ‘plagiarism’ issue - https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-58327849 

But the day of the Lord will come as unexpectedly as a thief. Then the heavens will pass away with a terrible noise, and the very elements themselves will disappear in fire, and the earth and everything on it will be found to deserve judgment. (2 Peter 3:10)

And the one sitting on the throne said, “Look, I am making everything new!” (Revelation 21:5)

For in him we live and move and exist. As some of your own poets have said, ‘We are his offspring.’ (Acts 17:28). Probably drawing from the 6th century BC Greek poet Epimenides, and the 3rd century BC Stoic philosopher Aratus.

The earth is the Lord’s, and everything in it. (Psalm 24:1)

We’ve heard about Ally’s art. We’ve heard about Marlita’s art. Today, we focus on Jonny’s or, should I say, Barrowclough’s.

If hip-hop geekery is your thing, you won’t be disappointed. If it’s not, don’t worry though. The conversation explores the kaleidoscopic nature of art, the joys of collaboration, the unusual ways in which Christianity infiltrates culture and how we all can find our places in our artforms.

If you’d like to join the conversation, please email us at [email protected] . If you’d like to help us continue to make more episodes like this, you can donate to us directly through our website www.faithinthearts.show

Resources and References:

Barrowclough - The Riddle & The Spyglass https://barrowclough.bandcamp.com/album/the-riddle-the-spyglass

Johannes Tetens, 18th century German Danish philosopher

Scarface - Never seen a man cry

Tupac - Brenda’s got a baby

Geto Boyz - My mind’s playing tricks on me

Prince Paul - Prince among thieves

Souls of Mischief - Montezuma’s Revenge

Snoop Dogg - Bible of Love

Kendrick Lamar - Good Kid Maad City

Today, Macclesfield based ceramicist, Rachel Ho introduces us to her fabulous ‘ Gift to the City’ project, sparking all sorts of trains of thought. The restorative power of art. Artists as priests. Paying the bills. And, as a podcast first, today’s episode is sponsored by a popular energy drink. Kind of.

If you’d like to join the conversation, please email us at [email protected] . If you’d like to help us continue to make more episodes like this, you can donate to us directly through our website www.faithinthearts.show

Resources and References:

Micah Purnell (text based artist) https://micahpurnell.com/

Orla Gilkeson (painter) https://orlagilkesonart.com/

Kate Nash’s experience of the music industry- https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cwygdzn4dw4o.amp

What do you think of when you think of prophetic art?

Does your mind instantly turn to the subversive power of beauty, energizing hope, alternate realities, toppling empire and the ministry of attentiveness? No? Well, perhaps you should spend an hour with Dr Mary McCampbell and the FITA team!

If you’d like to join the conversation, please email us at [email protected] . If you’d like to help us continue to make more episodes like this, you can donate to us directly through our website www.faithinthearts.show

Resources and References:

Books:

Imagining our Neighbours as Ourselves: How Art Shapes Empathy - Mary McCampbell

The Prophetic Imagination - Walter Brugemann

The Church and The Fiction Writer - Flannery O’Connor (included in the book ‘Mystery and Manners)

Art and artists:

Lakwena - Nothing can separate us- https://www.vigogallery.com/exhibitions/58-lakwena-maciver-nothing-can-separate-us-covent-garden-london/overview/

Alvin Ailey Dance Company Victory Boyd (singer)

The Handmaids Tale - Margaret Atwood

Life After God - Douglas Coupland

Magnolia (dir Paul Thomas Anderson)

Tree of Life (dir Terrence Mallick)

Samuel Taylor Coleridge (poet)

Bible References:

Matthew 23:13-39

Luke 1:46-56 (Mary’s Song)

Isaiah 55

Psalm 88

Today’s guest is internationally acclaimed tap dancer, Andrew Nemr. He leads us on a riveting journey through the history of tap dance, the fracturing of the media landscape, sharing your process, the morning pages and recovering from burnout. Oh, and how art practice can serve as a model for Christian discipleship.

To acquaint yourself with Andrew’s work, visit andrewnemr.com and artistformation.com.

If you’d like to join the conversation, please email us at [email protected] . If you’d like to help us continue to make more episodes like this, you can donate to us directly through our website www.faithinthearts.show

Resources, artists and references

Andrew’s visual art- https://whatweleavebehind.online

Kendrick Lamar- Watch the party die (for the more perceptive, you’ll notice that this was recorded before GNX dropped)

Yussef Dayes- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YASaUI9bhQY

Savion Glover

Steal Like An Artist- Austin Kleon

The Artist’s Way by Julia Cameron

Anselm Mcdonnell is back! Building on the last episode’s focus on the avant garde, the conversation moves on to music in general. How is music different to other artforms and how does music specifically relate to Christianity? After all, it’s just wiggly air, isn’t it?

If you’d like to join the conversation, please email us at [email protected]. If you’d like to help us continue to make more episodes like this, you can donate to us directly through our website www.faithinthearts.show

References

Music at key moments in the Bible (Job 38:4-7, Luke 2:13-14, Revelation 14:1-3)

Whereas Christian artists are often known for playing it safe in the arts, today’s guest, classical composer, Anselm Mcdonnell bucks this trend.

His work is experimental and avant garde and that is where the conversation goes in today’s episode. What is avant garde art, why does it matter and why should Christians practise in this area?

To get an intro to Anselm’s work, listen to his piece ‘Cross Purposes’ - ⁠https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hjg0L1McnYk⁠

If you’d like to join the conversation, please email us at ⁠[email protected]⁠. If you’d like to help us continue to make more episodes like this, you can donate to us directly through our website ⁠www.faithinthearts.show⁠

References

Hutchmoot - Hutchmoot is a gathering of Christian artists and creatives that happens once a year in Derbyshire. We highly recommend it! ⁠https://www.hutchmootuk.com⁠

Olivier Messiaen - French composer, organist and ornithologist!

How can artists bring the sacred to the streets and what happens when they do?

Our hosts are joined by Jason Leith, a Los Angeles based artist and the leader of Saddleback Visual Arts, to explore his work and the intersection between the humble and the holy, the seen and the hidden, the base and the transcendent and whether there will be a Starbucks on the renewed creation!

If you’d like to join the conversation, please email us at [email protected]. If you’d like to help us continue to make more episodes like this, you can donate to us directly through our website www.faithinthearts.show 

Referenced resources and artists: 

https://sacredstreets.org

Vessels project - https://sacredstreets.org/projects/vessels/

Lord of Spirits podcast - https://www.ancientfaith.com/podcasts/lordofspirits

Saddleback Visual Arts - https://saddlebackvisualarts.com

AI is reshaping our world and its impact is being felt very keenly in the arts.

Programs like Dali, Chat GPT and Sora have all been moving into the mainstream over the last year or so. Are they exciting tools to sharpen are artistry or do they signal the demise of the human artist? George Aytoun, head of design at Mccann Birmingham, joins the conversation to talk us through this revolution in the arts and the threats and opportunities that come with it.

If you’d like to join the conversation, please email us at [email protected]. If you’d like to help us continue to make more episodes like this, you can donate to us directly through our website www.faithinthearts.show

Referenced resources and artists:

Pablo Picasso, Norman Rockwell, JMW Turner

Travels in hyper-reality by Umberto Eco

'The Symbolic World' podcast (Jonathan Pageau)

Genesis 4:17-22

Last time we talked about Ally’s artistry and this time we’re shining the spotlight on another one of our hosts: Marlita!

We are focusing on her latest dance piece ‘We Need To Talk’ and bashing around such weight themes as communication, embodiment and art as language, at times using collections of letters that may or may not be actual words. Prepare for much phenomenological viscerality!

To get the most out of the episode (and also because it’s brilliant) you’d do well to watch the piece yourself beforehand. You can find it here: https://demo.marlitahill.com/we-need-to-talk/

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If you’d like to join the conversation, please email us at [email protected].

If you’d like to help us continue to make more episodes like this, you can donate to us directly through the link on our website www.faithinthearts.show