MOOT SEEKS ARTISTIC DIRECTOR
Tag: moot community arts
Moot’s Arts Cafe Church Vision – gatherings of kindness, cups of friendship
Well, at last it is looking like Moot will be launching its cafe church vision in the near future, but more of that later. People have been asking me why a cafe? and what has this to do with the arts?
I have been reading the Poetry Book ‘Flotsam‘ by Bart Wolffe, one of the talented poets that has performed in the Moot Cabarets. He is a very talented guy with an incredibly tough life as an asylum seeker. He has my greatest respect. In this book of poetry, where he explores what it is like to be homeless and with no money in London, he explores the real day to day struggle of trying to survive in the City, and brings fresh perspective to issues that we often forget about. In the middle of this he dreams about what Could be:
City of Loneliness, of loss, the scraping amidst the barony of landlords and tax collectors, rent gatherers, and supermarkets milking us of our liberty. He dreams. “The ideal world would let cafes be free for all, gatherings of kindness, cups of friendship. A church, a welcome sanctuary, a retreat, without denominations. The democracy of true meeting-places, the universities of life for exchange of thought and word in all tongues” (B Wolffe, 2009, 19).
I think Bart has richly put what we are seeking to build. A place where a church becomes public space again, with a small cafe that practices friendship and hospitality, which we hope will birth relationships, peace, kindness and facilitate expression and creativity, in the search for a common humanity and deep spirituality. We hope to start this once the detail about a place is sorted out.
So thanks Bart for putting this so well, touching the qualities we hope to shift from a dream to an actual incarnated reality, and a new home for the Moot Community. Incidentally, a way to support people like Bart is to support their work, so why not help him by buying his books here from Amazon, and here from Lulu.
Moot's Arts Cafe Church Vision – gatherings of kindness, cups of friendship
Well, at last it is looking like Moot will be launching its cafe church vision in the near future, but more of that later. People have been asking me why a cafe? and what has this to do with the arts?
I have been reading the Poetry Book ‘Flotsam‘ by Bart Wolffe, one of the talented poets that has performed in the Moot Cabarets. He is a very talented guy with an incredibly tough life as an asylum seeker. He has my greatest respect. In this book of poetry, where he explores what it is like to be homeless and with no money in London, he explores the real day to day struggle of trying to survive in the City, and brings fresh perspective to issues that we often forget about. In the middle of this he dreams about what Could be:
City of Loneliness, of loss, the scraping amidst the barony of landlords and tax collectors, rent gatherers, and supermarkets milking us of our liberty. He dreams. “The ideal world would let cafes be free for all, gatherings of kindness, cups of friendship. A church, a welcome sanctuary, a retreat, without denominations. The democracy of true meeting-places, the universities of life for exchange of thought and word in all tongues” (B Wolffe, 2009, 19).
I think Bart has richly put what we are seeking to build. A place where a church becomes public space again, with a small cafe that practices friendship and hospitality, which we hope will birth relationships, peace, kindness and facilitate expression and creativity, in the search for a common humanity and deep spirituality. We hope to start this once the detail about a place is sorted out.
So thanks Bart for putting this so well, touching the qualities we hope to shift from a dream to an actual incarnated reality, and a new home for the Moot Community. Incidentally, a way to support people like Bart is to support their work, so why not help him by buying his books here from Amazon, and here from Lulu.
Fourth Plinth Communion | Tues 28th July | 9-10am
Not sure if you have been keeping up with the human element of the current Antony Gormley inspired One & Other project. On Tuesday 28th July 2009, between 9am – 10am, Methodist Minister, Ken Chalmers, from Castle Cary, Somerset, will be celebrating Holy Communion from the Fourth Plinth in Trafalgar Square.
Ken hopes to provide an opportunity for people to encounter and experience God’s love for themselves, through watching and sharing in this sacred rite.
He would like to encourage as many people as possible to join him in Trafalgar Square to support this act of worship and share in a unique experience. See here for more info
Fourth Plinth Communion | Tues 28th July | 9-10am
Not sure if you have been keeping up with the human element of the current Antony Gormley inspired One & Other project. On Tuesday 28th July 2009, between 9am – 10am, Methodist Minister, Ken Chalmers, from Castle Cary, Somerset, will be celebrating Holy Communion from the Fourth Plinth in Trafalgar Square.
Ken hopes to provide an opportunity for people to encounter and experience God’s love for themselves, through watching and sharing in this sacred rite.
He would like to encourage as many people as possible to join him in Trafalgar Square to support this act of worship and share in a unique experience. See here for more info
The Urban Art Fair
As many of you may know, I’m intending to show my art work at Brixton’s Urban Art Fair this year. I’ve been meaning to blog this for ages, but the dates are rapidly approaching, so I thought it would be good to let you know. It’s on Sat. 18th & Sun 19th July on Josephine Avenue, halfway up Brixton Hill in London.
The Urban Art Fair is one of those amazingly eccentric London events that happens seemingly at random – a load of artists take over a street for a week, and hang their pictures for sale on the railings for people to come and look at and hopefully buy. It’s all arranged with the Lambeth Council of course, and all above board. Just have to hope that the weather holds out.
I’ve been every year for about 4 years, and always keep meaning to exhibit, but this is the first year I’ve got myself in gear, so it would be great to see you all. A great day out. I can recommend the “Negril” restaurant for lunch. If you want a sneaky preview of what I’ve been working on, then check out my blog.
Otherwise – See you there!
The Art of Contemplation – 50 Degrees North | Art Installation at the Spirituality Centre
HOUR, a film about contemplation by visual artist Tim Wainwright and composer Chris Letcher, premiered at St Mary Woolnoth on 23rd June as part of the City of London Festival. It will be shown here at the Centre Bookshop until the end of the festival on 24th August.
Using still photographic images, sound and music, Wainwright and Letcher explore the process of contemplation, and how it can be seen to unite and transcend the disparate cities, cultures and religions along the ’60 degrees north’ line of latitude, the theme of this year’s festival.
defining contemplation as a way of looking inward, that complements rational and irrational thought processes enabling us to make sense of our world and ourselves, the artists consider the relationship between the body and the mind, the conscious and unconscious, and ultimately between the visual and the sonic.
The Art of Contemplation – 50 Degrees North | Art Installation at the Spirituality Centre
HOUR, a film about contemplation by visual artist Tim Wainwright and composer Chris Letcher, premiered at St Mary Woolnoth on 23rd June as part of the City of London Festival. It will be shown here at the Centre Bookshop until the end of the festival on 24th August.
Using still photographic images, sound and music, Wainwright and Letcher explore the process of contemplation, and how it can be seen to unite and transcend the disparate cities, cultures and religions along the ’60 degrees north’ line of latitude, the theme of this year’s festival.
defining contemplation as a way of looking inward, that complements rational and irrational thought processes enabling us to make sense of our world and ourselves, the artists consider the relationship between the body and the mind, the conscious and unconscious, and ultimately between the visual and the sonic.
The Art of Contemplation – 50 Degrees North | Art Installation at the Spirituality Centre
HOUR, a film about contemplation by visual artist Tim Wainwright and composer Chris Letcher, premiered at St Mary Woolnoth on 23rd June as part of the City of London Festival. It is now being shown here at the Centre Bookshop until the end of the festival on the 24th August.
Using photographic images, sound and music, Wainwright and Letcher explore the process of contemplation, and how it can be seen to unite and transcend the disparate cities, cultures and religions along the ’60 degrees north’ line of latitude, the theme of this year’s festival.
Defining Contemplation as a way of looking inward, that complements rational and irrational thought processes enabling us to make sense of our world and ourselves, the artists consider the relationship between the body and the mind, the conscious and unconscious, and ultimately between the visual and the sonic. Both artists live and work in London.
The Art of Contemplation – 50 Degrees North | Art Installation at the Spirituality Centre
HOUR, a film about contemplation by visual artist Tim Wainwright and composer Chris Letcher, premiered at St Mary Woolnoth on 23rd June as part of the City of London Festival. It is now being shown here at the Centre Bookshop until the end of the festival on the 24th August.
Using photographic images, sound and music, Wainwright and Letcher explore the process of contemplation, and how it can be seen to unite and transcend the disparate cities, cultures and religions along the ’60 degrees north’ line of latitude, the theme of this year’s festival.
Defining Contemplation as a way of looking inward, that complements rational and irrational thought processes enabling us to make sense of our world and ourselves, the artists consider the relationship between the body and the mind, the conscious and unconscious, and ultimately between the visual and the sonic. Both artists live and work in London.
