ruah arts group

Michael J. Lewis, a professor of art at Williams’ College, weighs in on the Schvarts Abortion Art debate.

HT to Matthew Milliner.

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(Proceed with caution: mature and potentially disturbing subject matter.) 

Lucas Kwong wonders if his alma mater, Yale, is going to hell in a hand-basket. Why does he wonder that, you may ask? Because of the recent artistic exploits in the moral morass that is ivy league “higher” education. He elucidates,

By now, I’m sure, most citizens of the blogosphere are familiar with the escapades of Aliza Shvarts, abortion artist extraordinaire. Over the course of nine months, Shvarts allegedly inseminated herself nine times with sperm obtained from anonymous donors, only to ingest abortive pills two weeks after each insemination. Shvarts now intends to display videos of her self-induced miscarriages, as well as an installation of her own blood, on campus. While the university insists that her story amounts to a “creative fiction project,” I suspect that Aliza’s exhibit is nothing less than an example of art imitating life—not in terms of its content, but in terms of its philosophical underpinnings.

He goes on to say that this terrible foray into artistic madness might be good in the sense that it will reveal a lot of modern and contemporary art–particularly that which emerges from the Babylonian ivory towers of higher ed–for what it is: creative nihilism, for which the logical end is death. Aliza Shvarts, aside from the wretchedness of her actions (true or hoax), has aborted art, and thus has smote goodness and true, and blotted out beauty.

These are signs of the times, an apophatic approach to art that may, in the end (which is the beginning), redeem time and beauty.

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Matthew Milliner, art historian of faith, give his two cents here.

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Forgive me for my phrasal anticipation of Paschaltide, but I heard a brilliant interview on the radio this morning, and it struck me as, in a certain sense, quite paschal.

Melody Gardot, at the age of 19, was hit by an SUV while riding her bicycle. She just wanted to be a visual artist, but that goal faded as she lay severely injured in a hospital bed bereft of short term memory, with an acute sensitivity to light and sound.

One of her doctors, knowing that Melody had played the piano before the accident, and knowing that music therapy helps rebuild the neuron pathways that were damaged in the accident, suggested she take up music as a means to heal and regain some of her greatly diminished cognitive abilities.

And really, that was the beginning of the end. In recovery she began a foray into a new medium, and now is flourishing as a jazz/soul/folk singer who performs with the likes of Susan Tedeschi, Livingston Taylor and the Wood Brothers.

Listen the radio interview online. My little summary doesn’t do justice to her story, and frankly, you must really listen to her voice.

For me, her story is a microcosmic artistic death-and-resurrection, and it inspires. That is, it breathes in life to someone like me, who, even on the sunniest lovely Saturday, wonders if, in all my weakness, I can do or write anything inspiring.

It’s the season of hope, and I’m realizing my weakness is the perfect means for creating something great.

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Do you know the difference between indigo, royal purple and tyrian purple? Oh do ya? Well, I dare you to read this fabulous article on what is the right violet for the Roman rite anyway.

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Do you know a young writer who’s a rock solid Catholic? Check out details regarding this contest.

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What would happen in Darfur, in the Philippines, in the Holy Land if the faithful laid down their lives in holy martyrdom?

The Sixteen Martyrs of Compiegne did just that in 1794, and the terror of the French Revolution ended ten days later. Behold the revolution of contemplation.

 And Act One’s Barbara Nicolosi breaks the good news that Origin Entertainment has optioned for the rights to the martyrs’ tale in To Quell the Terror by William Bush:

I’m excited. I just got a message from my business partners at Origin that the paperwork has gone through, and we officially have to option on this book:

The title there is To Quell the Terror: The Mystery of the Vocation of the Sixteen Carmelites of Compiegne. Set during the darkest days of the French Revolution, this story is about sixteen women ages 27 to 78 who brought about the end of the Great Terror by an offering themselves body and soul to save the people of France.

The nuns’ story was fictionalized in a book called The Song at the Scaffold, by Gertrud von LeFort, and then turned into a beautiful opera called The Dialogues of the Carmelites. But the real story - which is kind of The Mission meets Amadeus - uh, with women - has never been dramatized.

I will be writing the screenplay while Origin puts the project in development (ie. looks for financing). And we can brood and pull our hair out over the financing tomorrow. Today, I am really, really happy and honored that I have the grace to work on this project.

I saw the Dialogues a couple years ago, and the opera–even on DVD–was profoundly striking, and more than any artistic piece I can think of taught me the power of the sign of the cross. You have to see it to know precisely what I’m talking about. Stay tuned here for updates on the Screenwriting of a story of women whose inaction brought death to the French devolution and Life might shine in a land soiled with the blood of martyrs.

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From the Community of St. John in Peoria: an invitation to their Eagle Eye Sapientia Saturday, a high school day of catechesis and fun. Email eaglecentral@yahoo.com for more information.

Sapientia Saturday is quickly approaching again ! It’s on February 2nd. All those ages 16-19 are invited. The theme is, “Art and Life: Imagination or Intelligence?” We would need to have all RSVP’s in by January 30th. Please let us know if you have a teen that needs any special accommodations. Be sure to have forms notorized. If your teen has been to an EE event from September 2007 through the present, then we can reuse your Emergency medical form ONLY. All other medical info forms and registration forms must still be filled out. Thanks!

*Remind teens to bring a Bible, wear a warm coat, and possibly boots. No need for cell phones and other gadgets.

The cost is $10 to cover expenses. Please see the attached forms below and the flyer. Invite thier friends! This is a perfert time for them to catch up with old EE buddies or an easy one day event to introduce new friends to our EE family. RSVP soon!!!

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When’s the last time someone’s talk about spiritual combat made you cry? Right. Exactly. Perhaps never. But when Lauralee Farrer demurely launched into her talk on said topic at the WAG conference, “Jumping outside the self-referential box” last May, my interest in her delicate and authentic gravitas quickly enveloped my entire person.  As she spoke of her spiritual journey, culminating in a Jeremiah moment, complete with fire in her artistic bones, I knew what she was speaking about. The only difference was that the artistic fire was still shut up in my bones (do you know that Sarah Groves song?), whereas Farrer had stepped into the creative abyss of uknowing. She gave her words to God in a darkness so enveloping it shone with a  brilliance that only abandonment can birth.

What’s the fruit of that abandonment? Her first feature length documentary, The Fair Trade. See the teaser, and wonder the worth of life, death, love and commerce. Would you you like to see a film like this in the Madison area? Email me and we’ll start the conversation. (ruahfellowship@gmail.com)

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We’re driving accross the midwest this weekend, *just* in time for a storm. Sweet. Leaving Friday instead of Saturday=no Ruah Movie night. Sorry to be a Debbie Downer , but we’ll have to skip December movie night. See you January 18th for the next movie!

Blessings to you this Christmas!

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If you’ve been to Madison’s Art Fair on the Square, chances are you’ve seen Audrey Heller’s clever and often humorous photographs of miniature (plastic) people situated on or amongst regular sized objects, making thoughtful visual poetry. Not prose or epic poetry, but striking couplets.

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