Disney-Britton

ALPHA OMEGA ARTS By Ernest O. Britton "The Ascension" (1982) by Frederick J. Brown. Collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art The Museum of Contemporary Religious Art in Saint Louis, Missouri is honoring the recent passing of American contemporary religious artist, Frederick Brown (1945-2012) with a special exhibition this summer through August. The museum's founding/director Terrence Dempsey was a friend of the artist, and the museum's collection includes an altarpiece created by the artist for the museum. Dempsey writes in the MOCRA blog , that he first encountered Brown’s work (above) at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in Manhattan in the summer of 1985. "Its vitality energized one of Christianity’s most frequently depicted subjects, with the top frame barely able to contain the rising Christ figure who bears the physical signs of his crucifixion," said Dempsey.

ALPHA OMEGA ARTS By Tahlib WASHINGTON – Catholic's United has produced a T-shirt entitled, " Nuns on a Bus " in support of the political engagement of Nuns passing a federal budget that addresses poverty and injustice. Republicans, on the other hand (including some Roman Catholics) are angered that some Nuns are riding across the nation in protest of GOP budget plans. Iowa radio host Jan Mickelson even went as far as to suggest that Republican Congressman Tom Latham order the women religious riding on the “Nuns on the Bus” tour be pulled over and beaten, saying, "There’s a bus full of nuns headed towards Washington to lobby against the Ryan plan. Do you guys, do you have any power to pull the “Nuns on the Bus” over and “pistol whip” them?"

HUFFINGTON POST By John Seed Meditation, especially silent meditation, seems to belong in temples, ashrams or memorial chapels. There is, however, one especially fine place in the United States where silent meditation in the presence of great modern paintings is encouraged. It is the Rothko Chapel in Houston. Established in 1971 by John and Dominique de Menil, who were avid collectors of modern art, the chapel houses a suite of fourteen deeply toned purple and maroon abstract murals painted by Mark Rothko in 1967. The entry lobby of the Rothko chapel displays sacred texts from a wide range of religious traditions, but the experience it provides doesn't have to be religious. "The chapel invites people to experience the divine on their own terms; or not." explains Emilee Whitehurst, the chapel's Executive Director. [ link ]

ALPHA OMEGA ARTS By Tahlib In this week's A&O 5 Faiths Fridays , I decided to feature a contemporary vision of Christ's death by David LaChappelle ; the awakening of Buddhist spirituality by Ito Jakuchu ; the spiritual power of "one ring" (or Spencer Tunick ) to strip people naked in Russia; the oppression of women and artists under extremist male theologies in Tunisia; and also the musical power of celestial beings in Hinduism by Jeevan Lal . 

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THE HINDU By Aditya Tejas "Holi festival" by Annan Sharon. Courtesy of Saatchi Online . INDIA---There’s an urgent need to document ancient monuments and cultures in India, says Anand Sharan .  Having abandoned a career in the government for advertising photography, and again for fine art photography, Sharan dedicates most of his time to perfecting his craft and teaching it to others. “There’s no market in India for fine art photography,” he says. “Even when people are buying art, the question they ask is if the value will double in two years.” His own photography, the Indian aspect of it at least, is focused around the traditional. “There’s a very urgent need to document ancient monuments and cultures,” he says. [ link ]

CINCINNATI MUSEUM CENTER Contact: Elizabeth Pierce OHIO---Cincinnati Museum Center (CMC) Board of Trustees approved a resolution today authorizing CMC to become the sole member of the National Underground Railroad Freedom Center (NURFC), joining NURFC into the CMC family of organizations. This follows a period of due diligence that was initiated in February when the NURFC Board of Trustees expressed the intent and authorized amendments to NURFC bylaws permitting the organizations to join. Union Terminal re-opened its doors in 1990 as home to the legacy institutions: Museum of Natural History & Science (established in 1818) and the Cincinnati Historical Society (1831), and the Robert D. Lindner OMNIMAX ® Theatre. These three corporate structures became one organization in 1995 gaining operating efficiencies. The Cincinnati Children’s Museum joined this corporate structure in 1997 and was later renamed as the Duke Energy Children’s Museum. Additionally, Enjoy the Arts (1981) and ...

BARNA GROUP A new public opinion survey by the Barna Group shows deepening economic concerns among American adults and increasing downward pressure on their charitable donations. The financial problems afflicting economies around the world has influenced Americans’ generosity: 41% of all U.S. adults say they have reduced giving to non-profit organizations as a result of the poor economy in the last three months. This was roughly on par with the level of charitable reduction discovered in 2011 (39%). As for giving to churches, Americans are increasingly likely to cut back on donations to congregations and houses of worship. In the current study, one-third of Americans (34%) have dropped the amount donated to churches in the last three months. [ link ]

TUNISIA LIVE By Farah Samti TUNISIA---While there are many requirements to become an imam,”The most crucial [requirements] are tolerance and moderation. An imam is not supposed to create controversy or damage people’s reputations,” said Ali Lafi, political and media adviser at the Ministry of Religious Affairs. Following the controversy accompanying the Printemps des Arts exhibition in the Palais Abdellia (located in Tunisia’s suburb of La Marsa), as well as the subsequent response from several Tunisian imams, the government has taken a stronger role in monitoring mosque activity to prevent further controversy. [ link ]

THE NEW YORK TIMES By Randy Kennedy ITALY---For the first time in a history stretching back more than 500 years, the Sistine Chapel Choir will sing as a single chorus with another choir. But not just any group of voices: the Westminster Abbey Choir , a much older body that, at least since the16th century, has been a symbol of the Church of England’s separation from the Roman Catholic Church. The Associated Press reported that the two choirs would join at a special papal Mass on Friday in St. Peter’s Basilica as a symbol of Christian harmony after centuries of discord, furthering Pope Benedict XVI’s goal of trying to bring Christian sects closer. [ link ]

ALPHA OMEGA ARTS By Ernest Disney-Britton "Transdiction" by Derrick Carter. Courtesy of 924 Gallery As anyone who knows me is certain, I am nuts about Arts Management, and while I enjoy my own creating, I absolutely love promoting other artists who are creating for a living, and especially religious artists. That's why I was so excited to come across a cost-benefit analysis by Liz Craine , a ceramics artist who has explored selling her creations in a variety of venues. Based on her experience, and analysis the best financial options for the emerging career artist are traditional galleries  and local art fairs . The worst options are Artist Co-ops (unless you thrive on the social interaction) and National Art Tours (unless you just love to travel).  Her data is impressive, especially for the emerging artist.

RUSSIAN TIMES NEW YORK--- Adam 'Ad-Rock' Horovitz of Beastie Boys has played a set in support of members of the Russian feminist punk band Pussy Riot , who are facing hooliganism charges for performing their song Holy S*** in Moscow’s main church. The girls rushed into the Christ the Savior Cathedral in February and gave an impromptu performance at the altar with a number deemed blasphemous and politically provocative. On June 12 Ad-Rock played a benefit DJ set in the Brooklyn nightclub Death by Audio to support the detained girls. Visitors were encouraged to donate money with the minimum admission fee set at $7. [ link ]

THE HINDU By Anasuya Menon " Gandharva " (Celestial Muscians) by Jeevan Lal MP INDIA---Arjuna, Ganesha, Jesus Christ, kings, queens and demons from folklore appear—reinterpreted and reloaded—in an assembly of works by artist Jeevan Lal . ‘Avatar’, an exhibition of his paintings and sculptures at Nanappa Art Gallery, seems to be a happy congress of characters from several mythological time zones. He has resurrected some of the most celebrated heroes of India’s scriptures and touched them up with contemporary relevance. His works bear a faint resemblance to the traditional Tanjore painting, possess the ancient charm of the mural, especially in the colour scheme, and remind one of the transparent qualities of glass painting, all at the same time. “The exhibition is on till July 2. [ link ]

TIME MAGAZINE By Lilly Rothman As we hit the tenth anniversary of his polarizing 2002 book " The Rise of the Creative Class ", the controversial urban theorist Richard Florida has a plan to keep the artists from starving. An anniversary edition of the book, which will be released on June 26, includes several new chapters, with revised data (and anecdotes) throughout. The revised edition of the book also includes his prophecy about the future of the entertainment industry—and, between the lines, his prescription to keep artists from starving. That’s where the collector comes in: more than ever, entertainment-industry workers have to be creative; at the same time, art isn’t enough. [ link ]

THE CHICAGO TRIBUNE By Manya A. Brachear ILLINOIS---Seven years ago, Lubavitch Chabad of the Loop, Gold Coast and Lincoln Park took out a $4.9 million loan to build what was supposed to be a state-of-the-art synagogue and community center at Chestnut and Clark streets. As collateral, the group offered the Chabad House of the Loop, where Jewish travelers and members of the Hasidic Orthodox community go for worship, religious classes and meals. It was also the home of the group's leader, Rabbi Meir Chai Benhiyoun . But when the economic downturn caused construction plans to fall apart, Benhiyoun not only lost his dream for an Orthodox community center. He now stands to lose the roof over his head. [ link ]

RUETERS By Lin Noueihed TUNIS---Tunisian artists have gone underground since Salafi Islamists broke into Abdeliya Palace on June 10 and destroyed a handful of works at the Printemps des Arts fair to protest against art they deemed insulting to Islam, then ran riot for days. One of the most controversial works on display was an installation depicting veiled women as punching bags. Meriem Bouderbala , one of the curators at Printemps des Arts says, "After the revolution, artists had a feeling of freedom. They wanted to express freely. They produced very powerful art," she said. "Many people will self-censor. They are afraid because it is a matter of life or death but ... artists adapt to any situation ... Artists are visionaries. They find a way." [ link ]

ARTLYST Spencer Tunick's Nude Ring Cycle In Munich Public Square RUSSIA---Over 1,700 nude men and women painted in red and gold body paint, created an interpretation of a scene from the Richard Wagner opera "Der Ring des Nibelungen" on Saturday (June 23) in Max-Joseph Platz, Munich, Germany, outside the opera house. It was all part of a body art installation organised by the American photographer Spencer Tunick . The photographer was invited to create the art installation by the Bavarian State Opera to mark the opening of the 2012 Munich summer opera season. His installations incorporate dozens, hundreds or thousands of volunteers; and his photographs are a documented record of these events.

THE ECONOMIST By S.T. Basel It has become fashionable among economists to study the motivations of art collectors. Now Barclays Bank has generated data that proves that the art market is highly psychological and social. In a new report entitled “ Profit or Pleasure? Exploring the Motivations Behind Treasure Trends ”, only a tenth of those questioned said they bought art purely as an investment, whereas 75% cited enjoyment as the key. The study is based on interviews with 2,000 rich people in 17 countries. [ link ]

ALPHA OMEGA ARTS By Tahlib "Christ and the Penitents" (17th c) by Gerard Seghers  FLORIDA---One of my favorite places to experience religious art is the Bass Museum of Art in Miami, Florida because it tries harder than most to explore the connections between historical and contemporary art, and to prompt a dialogue between generations of artists. Currently, for example the works from the historical era (500 years of Renaissance and Baroque) are on display with works by contemporary artists Janine Antoni , Michele Oka Doner and American abstract expressionist Peter Voulkos . It's a unique and inspirational way to enjoy the Old Masters collection donated to the city by John and Johannna Bass in 1963 in a contemporary light (or vice versa).

HOUSTON PRESS By Jef With One F TEXAS---I grew up in a non-religious household, and while that's made me somewhat out of step with a lot of America I don't really feel like I've missed anything of note. I mostly I don't bother with organized religion because over the years I've reached a deeper spiritual bond with pop culture than I ever could have with the message of Jesus Christ or Buddha or, I don't know, the Scientology guy. It's where I draw my strength from in times of need, and where I find the lessons that make up my morality. So if you're not the church-going type have you considered... [ link ]

THE MIAMI NEW TIMES By Carlos Suarez De Jesus Eternal (Shelf) Life, on display at ArtCenter/South Florida. FLORIDA---"For most people, regardless of their chosen religion, the goal is ultimately to land in a good spot for all eternity," says Byron Keith Byrd, one of the three artists participating in the intriguing show, which explores notions of the sweet hereafter using iconic religious symbols. But for organizers of " The Afterlife ," a new exhibit at ArtCenter/South Florida, the lure of eternal rapture is a salve that unites us all— ranging from Judaism to Catholicism, from Buddhism to Islam, even from Santería and vodou — view the great beyond.  [ link ]

DIGITAL JOURNAL By Yukio Strachan For more on this story, see A&O News from May 2012 NEW YORK---Here's something you won't find at your local grocery store: Jesus Popsicles made out of wine blessed by a priest as he turned "wine into the blood of Christ during the Eucharist.” Chilean-born artist-designer Sebastian Errazuriz , 35, was one of 10 artists featured in the the Love it or Leave it show at R'Pure Gallery in New York celebrating New York Design Week, a press release said.  [ link ]

CHICAGO TRIBUNE By Danielle Arnet An old friend recently gave me two pen and ink sketches by Pablo Picasso . They show a former lover of Picasso, a Serbian countess named Countess Zamora. Bottom line, the art needs to be examined firsthand by an expert. The donor owns the burden of proving the romantic story. Fake Picassos are a major industry, and have been for a long time. Perhaps the sketches are really prints, or photocopied. The art may well be faked or digital . There are all sorts of possible scenarios and unknowns. Should an auction be interested, they will be in touch. Auctions are in business to make money for consigners and the house, so they know how to set target prices. Your job is to choose well before handing over the art. [ link ]

STATEN ISLAND LIVE By Michael J. Fressola Staten Island Advance Venerable Pema Dorjee, December 2011. NEW YORK---Photographer Meg Whitlock's "Lhasa on the Hudson" photographs document part of the newest wave of Asian immigrants, Tibetans. Most live in Queens (although she did shoot a Tibetan household in Great Kills). Some 8,000 Tibetans live in the city today. Ms. Whitlock used a vintage Graphlex camera. Nearly all of the subjects are photographed in colorful traditional dress, often against a backdrop of hangings, Himalayan furnishings and art. Jacques Marchais Museum of Tibetan Art, 338 Lighthouse Ave., Richmond, www.TibetanMuseum.org. [ link ]

THE TIMES OF INDIA By Pritha Chakrabarti INDIA---Islam is often seen as a religion without visual symbols or icons. But in practice, there are a variety of images that are revered by millions of Muslim believers, especially in South Asia and Iran. The mushrooming of shops on the streets of Charminar and elsewhere selling posters, metal plates, shiny stickers, CDs, etc., depicting these symbols only goes to show how the practice has become more 'popular' of late. Though some orthodox Muslim clergy have raised objections to these graphic depictions, the Quran does not prohibit the drawing of representative figures though it does taboo idolatry, said Yousuf Sayeed, author of the book, Muslim Devotional Art in India.  [ link ]

ARTNET By Donald Kuspit "The Bodhisattva Samantabhadra" by Ito Jakuchu Ito Jakuchu’s "Colorful Realm of Living Beings," 30 scroll paintings created over a ten year period (ca. 1757-66), were donated, a year before they were finished, to the Shokokuji Zen monastery in Kyoto, along with his Sakyamuni Triptych, painted during the same period. Gautama Sakyamuni was the historically first “Buddha,” an epithet meaning “Awakened One.” Like the saints standing with Christ in Christian altarpieces, they are not simply his followers, but identify with him -- the imitatio Buddha shown in Jakuchu’s scrolls has its parallel in the imitatio Christi in Christian altarpieces.  They don’t need any halo to announce their sublimity; the least detail of nature is auratic, as the melting white snow and white feathers on the wild goose in Jakuchu’s Wild Goose and Reeds make clear. [ link ]

CONTACT MUSIC "American Jesus" (2009) Image courtesy of David LaChappelle Studio A portrait of Michael Jackson reclaimed by the artist after the King of Pop's death in 2009 is at the centre of an ownership war - because the late pop star's longtime friend and dermatologist insists the piece is rightfully his. Dr. Arnold Klein and photographer/filmmaker David LaChappelle , who created the religious-themed work which depicts Jackson as Jesus Christ, have been bickering over the painting-like photo for more than a year, but the row only recently came to light when officials at the Los Angeles County district attorney’s office opted not to bring criminal charges against the artist, according to the Los Angeles Times. [ link ]

ALPHA OMEGA ARTS NEWS By TAHLIB Would you risk everything to pursue your calling? For two weeks, artists in Tunisia have faced the choice between following their calling in the face of death threats , or relenting to fear. Even though the rioting by Islamic extremists has ended (with one death), the artists still face persecution but are pushing forward. To follow a calling requires determination, and it means having faith. The Quran ( 3:193 ) reads, "we have heard a caller calling", and when artists understand their calling, they move forward no matter how terrible things get. What would you risk to pursue your calling? That is why these Tunisian heroes (including above) are the NEWS OF WEEK .

CBS NEWS NEW YORK — God is having a tough month on Broadway — "Godspell" is closing, " Jesus Christ Superstar " is on life support and now comes word that "Sister Act" is going to theatrical heaven. Producers said Wednesday that the musical based on the 1992 film starring Whoopi Goldberg will play its final performance on Aug. 26, a 16-month run that included more than 561 performances. After a flurry of religious-themed shows appeared on Broadway, crowds are apparently turning their backs, unconverted. "Leap of Faith," another Menken show about a crooked preacher, closed last month after just 20 regular performances. [ link ]

THE NATIONAL By Alice Fordham Sana Tamzini voices her opinion. Photo courtesy of Tunsialive TUNISIA---After an uprising in Tunisia swept Zine El Abidine Ben Ali from power last year, Sana Tamzini , an abstract artist, was delighted to go from being an opponent of the old government to a senior employee of the culture ministry in the new one. But 18 months later, as competing factions struggle for power in the fragile country, Sana fears for her artistic freedom, the future of the country and even, she explained furiously, her own life. A week ago, shortly after a confrontation between artists and religious protesters at a gallery in Tunis sparked the nationwide protests, Sana was at a beach with her children when she received a call on her mobile. "You are a whore," said a man's voice. "You are not a Muslim, we must kill you." [ link ]

THE NEW YORK TIMES By Manohla Dargis “ Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter ” is such a smashing title it’s too bad someone had to spoil things by making a movie to go with it. Then again, a big-screen version of Seth Grahame-Smith’s comic novel was doubtless inevitable, given the delectable absurdity of the 16th president of the United States’ going all Buffy on a vamp army, splitting heads like rails. [ link ]

THE CHRISTIAN POST By Brittney R. Villalva DC Comics has announced that it will debut the Green Lantern as the first openly gay male character in its comic books in order to push aside "prejudice barriers" and provide a "positive" gay role model. Alan Scott, the original Green Lantern, will come out as gay next week in the latest issue "Earth 2" which has remade the character into a younger version of himself. Scott's first comic appearance came in "All-American Comics" No. 16 in July 1940. [ link ]

THE CHRISTIAN POST By Stoyan Zaimov This statue, referred to as the "King of Kings" and "Touchdown Jesus," is seen at the Solid Rock Church, near Monroe, Ohio, in this file photo. It was designed by Brad Coriell, sculpted by James Lynch, and assembled by Mark Mitten. OHIO --- Almost two years after a massive 62-foot replica of Jesus Christ was struck down by lightning in a rampant blaze, the Solid Rock Church statue in Southwest Ohio will finally be rebuilt by July. The sculpture, which was known as the "Touchdown Jesus" statue because of the way Christ was depicted with his arms raised in the air, will now be called "Lux Mundi," which is Latin for "Light of the World." Tom Tsuchiya , the sculptor in charge of restoring the large statue, confirmed that crews will begin erecting the statue on July 16, and by June 20 the replica will be ready to be unveiled to the public. [ link ]

LOS ANGELES TIMES By F. Kathleen Foley Josh Clark, left, Bonnie Bailey-Reed, Anne Gee Byrd and Rebecca Mozo in " The Savannah Disputation " at the Colony. CALIFORNIA --- Playwright Evan Smith confronts the scourge of religious extremism head-on in “The Savannah Disputation,” now at the Colony. Smith’s well-researched and frequently uproarious comedy seems deceptively even-handed at first. But at play’s end, Smith smacks you upside the head with the distinctly un-Christian beliefs of radical fundamentalism. While Smith’s exegesis of certain Biblical contradictions is surprisingly sophisticated, his play succeeds primarily as a juicy vehicle for four actors. [ link ]

ALPHA OMEGA ARTS CALIFORNIA --- Bay Area designer Kenji Liu is selling a limited edition poster, “10,000 Dharma Doors”, that gives a makeover to the traditional Tibetan Buddhist thangka painting and evokes some challenges the historical Buddha might face in the 21st century urban United States. Fifty limited edition 12” x 18” prints of “10,000 Dharma Doors” are available for $10 each at Liu’s website. For an online purchase, please visit www.kenjiliu.flyingcart.com/ .

ALPHA OMEGA ARTS By Tahlib This week's A&O 5 Faiths Fridays explores religious art from the traditions of Paganism, Buddhism, Christianity, Judeo-Christian, and Islam. The featured events of week include the Summer Solstice celebration at Stonhenge and the continuing Islamic riots in Tunisia over artwork; and the featured American painter Frederick Brown (1945-2012).

BLOUIN ARTINFO By Shane Ferro Demonstrators rioting in Tunis, Tunisia TUNISIA --- Artists in Tunisia have begun circulating a petition calling for international solidarity from arts organizations in condemning the country's government for censoring an art exhibition (10th edition of Printemps des Arts ) and siding with Salafist Islamic fundamentalists following riots incited by an art fair in the capital city. The petition, however, is not directed at the fundamentalists that incited the violence, but the moderate Islamist government that has since backed the Salafists and shut down the fair, even after many of the artists began receiving death threats via phone, text message, and social networking sites. [ link ]

RAPID CITY JOURNAL By Mary Garrigan This is a Nuevo Leon "Santos" cross circa 1840 original that emphasizes the wounds of the suffering Christ. The crucifix is part of the Rev. D. Craig Cower Collection at the St. Patrick Church in Wall, MI. MICHIGAN --- A museum-quality collection of about 100 crucifixes is housed at St. Patrick Catholic Church here, including a 750-year-old one that some believe once belonged to Christopher Columbus. Authenticated by the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City, the Columbus Cross was originally created in Venice sometime around 1256 and found its way to the New World on one of the voyages of Columbus, in or around 1492. The Rev. Leo Hausmann, pastor at St. Patrick's in Wall, finds the small corpus the most interesting piece in the display, but there are about 99 other interesting ones, as well. [ link ]

THE PLATFORM By Shirin Lakhani African American Muslim artists across the nation have taken advantage of the popular medium of hip hop to revolutionise the notion of Islam in the United States in two distinct, but related ways. Popular, more mainstream, artists like Lupe Fiasco and Mos Def present a message of Islam through subtle references to core beliefs or key figures and as a parallel to their perceived duty towards social activism. It is hip hop’s ability to maintain an identity of American authenticity that allows it to be both a success and a necessity in allowing African American Muslim artists to successfully speak for their Islam. [ link ]

AL ARABIYA NEWS By AFP Mohamed Ben Slama's naked woman with bearded men standing behind her. Image courtesy of Le Figaro TUNISIA --- Tunisian authorities have detained the court officer who denounced an art exhibition as offensive to Islam last week and triggered a wave of riots by hardline Islamists, the official TAP news agency said. Mohamed Ali Bouaziz was arrested late Tuesday on charges of disrupting public order, the agency said, quoting a justice ministry official. He is accused of posting pictures of the paintings on Facebook and “breaching professional secrecy by declaring them an insult to Islam, triggering acts of vandalism and violence in several parts of the country.” [ link ]

PEORIA JOURNAL STAR By Gary Panetta ILLINOIS --- An opportunity to learn about Buddhist sacred art is coming 7:15 p.m. Thursday at the Universalist Unitarian Church, 3000 W. Richwoods Blvd. Jim Aplington is a Peoria native who has since lived in Nepal and has gone into the business of importing Tibetan art -- something he began when he fell in love with an orphanage he visited while in Nepal many years ago. Starting at 7:15 p.m., the evening will feature 40 minutes of meditation practice followed by Aplington's talk -- so this is a great chance to learn about the practice of mindfulness meditation, a practice I've found personally very helpful. [ link ]

ALPHA OMEGA ARTS By Chérie Angélique de Sues Image from Stonehenge courtesy of BBC Summer Solstice  (“sun stand still”) is a Pagan holy day that harkens the longest day of the year, when warmth spills upon the land and fruitful bounties are enjoyed by all creatures.

HEEB MAGAZINE By Amy Schiller "Wiley Solomon" by Kehinde Wiley at Jewish Museum of NYC NEW YORK --- The Jewish Museum, otherwise known as “that place you take Grandma when she visits,” now has the most cutting-edge artistic social commentary in the Jewish world. By an incredibly grand stroke of luck, Israel’s whole violence-against-African-refugees thing blew up right in the middle of their exhibit by Kehinde Wiley , composed exclusively of portraits of men of color in Israel. Now might be an auspicious time for the Jewish Museum to capitalize on its newfound, perhaps unprecedented, relevance. Alas, when asked whether the Museum would consider seizing the moment through expanded commentary or programming, their response was a firm disavowal: “We have done nothing of the sort, and it’s not something we have even considered.” [ link ]

THE TELEGRAPH By Donna Bowater Archdruid of Glastonbury and Stonehenge conducts a Solstice celebration service UNITED KINGDOM -- Around 14,500 people endured downpours this morning as they welcomed the sun during the dawn pagan tradition. Every year, thousands descend upon the prehistoric monument on the longest day of the year but the weather afforded no respite from the soggy start to the season. Drummers inside the ancient stone circle kept up their beat throughout the poor weather, with pagans dancing along to the rhythm in the rain. A spokesman for English Heritage said: "14,500 people gathered at Stonehenge to celebrate the summer solstice this year. [ link ]

USA TODAY By David Van Biema Photo of Heller courtesy of International Arts Movement NEW YORK - Ena Heller, the founding director of the Museum of Biblical Art in New York. Heller will leave the museum after 15 years of service as it fights to secure funding and maintain the lease on its location near Lincoln Center.  Now, however, the future of one of the smaller and more eccentric pearls in the city's cultural crown looks less certain as Heller steps down in July, its main financial lifeline gets cut in 2015 and the museum is dogged by rumors that it will lose its $1-a-year lease on Broadway near Lincoln Center. The museum is a unique institution: the agnostic offspring of a missionary organization, founded in 1997 when the Bible Society decided to capitalize on its prime real estate with a gallery. It recruited Heller and accepted her main proviso: that the gallery operate free of any faith identification. [ link ]

CHICAGO TRIBUNE By Rueters LOUISIANA - The largest U.S. Protestant denomination chose its first black president on Tuesday, an historic election for the predominately white religious group as it seeks to better reflect the diversity of the country and its membership. Fred Luter, a New Orleans pastor and civic leader, ran unopposed for the top post in the 167-year-old Southern Baptist Convention , which counts a growing number of minorities among its 16 million members. The convention was founded in 1845 after Southern Baptists split from the First Baptist Church in America in the pre-Civil War days over slave ownership. [ link ]

LOS ANGELES TIMES By Jamie Wetherbe NEW YORK --- The producers of " Jesus Christ Superstar " announced that unless ticket sales improve, the Broadway musical will close July 1. The Gospel-based rock opera, which has an open-ended run at New York's Neil Simon Theatre, come July will have played 116 performances since its March 22 premiere. “Superstar" received two Tony nominations this year: for revival of a musical (the award went to the Gershwins' "Porgy and Bess") and for featured actor in a musical, Josh Young (who lost to Michael McGrath for "Nice Work If You Can Get It”). [ link ]

THE PHILIPPINE STAR PHILIPPINES --- Spain has been known for its rich culture, epic artistic history and Catholic faith. Today, one of the communities that keep these treasures alive is the San Salvador de Oña Monastery in Burgos. Owner of Europe’s largest collection of religious art, the Benedictine Monastery in Castile-Leon is marking its millennial foundation and as part of its celebrations, will host the 17th edition of the “Ages of Man” exhibit, one of the most important religious art exhibitions in Europe. This year’s exhibition is titled “ Monacatus ” which, when translated from its Greek derivative, means “alone.” “Monacatus” will run until Nov. 4. It will be held amid the stunning natural landscape of Oña, lending a mythical and magnificent backdrop to the exhibit of glorious history and art. [ link ]

THE JERUSALEM POST By Wayne Stiles ISRAEL ---  The walls and gates of Jerusalem have expanded and contracted over the centuries like the breathing of a living being. The walls of the Old City of Jerusalem are such that we have to enter through the gates—just as people did for thousands of years. Gates were more than passageways. They served as places for personal business and civic affairs (see Ruth 4:1). Gates often took their names from the distant cities they faced, like Jaffa, Damascus, and Shechem. The 8 gates of Jerusalem have stood for centuries. But the Prophet Ezekiel predicted a day when the gates of Jerusalem would total 12—one for each of Israel’s tribes (Ezekiel 48:31-34). [ link ]

JERUSALEM POST By Rabbi Kenny Cohen ISRAEL --- Judaism is full of choices, and Rabbi Kenny Cohen says that this is why there is so much diversity amongst the Jewish people. What is most surprising is that the Orthodox community has so many choices of lifestyles. One can be a "Chabadnik" or a Breslav Chassid or a Haredi Jew, strictly adhering to "Daas Torah." There are also national religious Jews with a passion for settling in the Land of Israel. One can also simply be labeled as "modern Orthodox". When a young man or woman decides that they would like to become more observant and study about their heritage, they are often lured to be converted into one of these labels. The important thing for anyone seeking truth is to find that group or philosophy that speaks to the person as something that (s)he can identify with. [ link ]

AHRAM ONLINE TUNISIA --- Tunisian artists, shaken over deadly riots by radical Islamists angered about artworks deemed blasphemous, say they feel abandoned by a culture minister who spoke out in defense of the protestersunisian artists lament lack of support after Islamist riots. "It is as if my hands have been cut off. I am so angry, so disappointed," said a painter whose canvas was slashed in a June 10 attack on a Tunis art gallery. "When I heard the government's position I felt like I was at a trial for freedom but unable to defend myself," the artist told AFP, requesting anonymity. Culture Minister Mehdi Mabrouk, while defending artistic creativity, stopped short of condemning the attack, believed to have been carried out by ultra-conservative Salafist Muslims. [ link ]

ALPHA OMEGA ARTS By Tahlib NEW YORK --- Sculptures, paintings, and gold objects from India, Pakistan, Afghanistan, and the western reaches of Central Asia comprise the Metropolitan Museum of Art's new installation " Buddhism Along the Silk Road: 5th-8th Century " (ends February 2013), which sheds light on a religious, economic and military history of the sixth century, marked by artistic exchanges across these vast regions and the Hun invasion . Drawn entirely from the holdings of The Metropolitan Museum of Art, this one-room installation examines a network of interacting Buddhist communities from North India, Kashmir, and Northwest Pakistan (Gandhara and the Swat Valley). The installation includes the Head of a Buddha or Bodhisattva from Afghanistan and is accompanied by an animated map tracing trade routes of the Hun invation.

RUETERS By Michelle Nichols NEW YORK --- Donations to charity rose to $298.42 billion last year, but were still $11 billion below a 2007 record as nonprofits battle through the sector's second-slowest recovery from recession in 40 years, a study released on Tuesday said. Giving by Americans increased 4 percent in 2011 compared with 2010, with individual donations accounting for nearly three-quarters, according to the 57th annual report by the Giving USA Foundation and the Center on Philanthropy at Indiana University. Corporate donations remained flat at $14.5 billion last year, foundations made almost $42 billion in grants - an increase of 1.8 percent - while gifts from estates jumped more than 12 percent to $24.4 billion.  [ link ]

ALPHA OMEGA ARTS By Ernest O. Britton "The Castle of Marquis de Sade" (1983) by Mr. Brown. Courtesy of Studio Museum of Harlem MISSOURI --- Last week, the Museum of Contemporary Religious Art opened its summer exhibition, " A Tribute to Frederick J. Brown ". Brown who passed last month on May 5th , played an important role in launch of this museum. In 1992 Frederick Brown offered to execute a large, multi-paneled altarpiece based on the life of Christ for the soon-to-open museum. Featured in this exhibition is the resulting Life of Christ Altarpiece, dedicated to artist Max Beckmann and premiered at MOCRA in 1995 .

THE NEW YORK TIMES By Michael Kimmelman ITALY -- On the steps of the Basilica di Sant’Agostino, a stone’s throw from Piazza Navona and the famous Caravaggios in the Church of San Francese, four men waited for handouts on a summery afternoon last week. To the left of the entrance Caravaggio’s “Madonna di Loreto ,” the Madonna of the Pilgrims as it’s called, hung in a narrow chapel. The pilgrims, a barefoot old man and an old woman, kneel before a sleepy Mary and the infant Jesus. Caravaggio’s models came from the Roman streets, after all.  That’s the beauty of the thing. Outside, squinting in the sun, I fished for coins to give the guys who were still on the church steps, although they were no longer asking for money. One of them, hunched but gazing intently at the sky, watching a pigeon fly by, had taken off his sneakers. He was barefoot . [ link ]

ARMENIAN PRESS ARMENIA -- Icons and its application in the church are as old as the church itself. In Armenian Apostolic church the icons are in the form of canvases, which are decorating the holy Table, the columns, and the walls of the churches. We usually pray and lit candles in front of those icons. For Liana Arakelyan , Ararat patriarchal diocese and miniature Union Office teacher this is not simply specialty but lifestyle. Liana assures icon painting is one of the best ways to approach the God. In accordance with the charter of Armenian Apostolic church Charter icons are the inseperatable part of the church. [ link ]

ICONOCLASIS MASSACHUSETTS --- The Museum of Russian Icons is pleased to announce the debut of a new educational video co-produced by the Museum and Dynamic Diagrams . The Light Within: How an Icon is Made illustrates all of the steps involved in making an icon from the cutting of the board to the final blessing. [ link ]

ALPHA OMEGA ARTS By Ernest  Disney-Britton Have you ever had a moment when your Dancing Mind would receive a negative dark emotional thought? Even though you know that thought is only a past experience that enjoys to surface; to become a partner with your constant Dancing Mind. So you immediately swirl your Dancing Mind to a stop!! and you plunge deep within to embrace your loving Spiritual Truth that lies beneath that constant Dancing Mind. Your Spiritual Truth is where the love of God lives, brightly shining beneath your constant Dancing Mind. When one plunges deep beneath those negative emotional thoughts. You allow the light of God's Truth of unending love to emerge. This will destroy that negative dark emotional thought that enjoys to partner with one's constant Dancing Mind.

ALPHA OMEGA ARTS NEWS By TAHLIB I believe it’s a significant thing that God chose Mary to be the one who would give birth to the Son of God, and I also believe it's a significant thing that God chose Joseph to be a father to Jesus. In Seth Grahame-Smith's " Unholy Night ", a novel of both imagined and actual adventures which took place during the first weeks of Jesus' birth, Grahame-Smith explores notions of "fatherhood" and sheds new light on the man who adopted Jesus as his son. Saint Joseph is the ideal father figure but his son's birth still challenges him as a devout Jew, a husband and as a new father. For that reason on this Father's Day, "Unholy Night" is the RELIGIOUS ART | NEWS OF WEEK .

THE NEW YORK TIMES By David Mason Thanks to Mitt Romney, a Broadway hit and a relentless marketing campaign by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Mormons seem to be everywhere. This is the so-called Mormon Moment : a strange convergence of developments offering Mormons hope that the Christian nation that persecuted, banished or killed them in the 19th century will finally love them as fellow Christians. I want to be on record about this. I’m about as genuine a Mormon as you’ll find — a templegoer with a Utah pedigree and an administrative position in a congregation of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. I am also emphatically not a Christian. For the curious, the dispute can be reduced to Jesus. [ link ]

MOTHER JONES By Asawin Suebsaeng Even taking into account spandex trousers, the aerobics craze, the rise of Anthony Michael Hall, the "anti-bureaucratic revolution," Psycho III, the crack epidemic, Reagan death-squads, and Muppet Babies, there is absolutely nothing I dislike more about the '80s than the music. Music from the '80s is the lunatic ex-wife of American pop-rock that will not stop dropping by America's quiet suburban home to angrily demand joint custody of the country's collective listening consciousness. Which is why I was surprised to find certain parts of Rock of Ages so epically winning . [ link ]

THE NEW YORK TIMES By Holland Cotter “Cimarron Archangel” (2002) by Gustavo Esquina NEW YORK --- In size, cultural scope and freshness of material, the three-museum exhibition “Caribbean: Crossroads of the World” is the big art event of the summer season in New York, itself one of the largest Caribbean cities. To take in the entire thing requires traveling between the Studio Museum in Harlem and El Museo del Barrio, both in Manhattan, and across the East River to the Queens Museum of Art in Flushing. [ link ]

ALPHA OMEGA ARTS By Ernest O. Britton Griffin, cast bronze with engraved decoration, made in Spain (possibly Cordoba) in the 11th century. (Copy in exhibition). INDIANA --- " Beauty and Belief: Crossing Bridges with the Arts of Islamic Culture " is the largest traveling survey exhibition of Islamic art ever assembled in the United States, and it will open at the Indianapolis Museum of Art on November 2, 2012. Organized by Brigham Young University Art Museum , the exhibition features more than 250 objects, including metalwork, ceramic, paintings, calligraphy, woodcarving, carpets, and textiles.

ALPHA OMEGA ARTS By Tahlib Tibetan Manuscript with Twelve Illuminations (detail); 17th century; pigments on paper; Rubin Museum of Art, purchased from the collection of Navin Kumar, New York NEW YORK --- My office is only a few blocks away, so I enjoy visiting the Rubin Museum of Art (especially on "free" Friday nights for cocktails) but this time I went to see " Illuminated: The Art of Sacred Texts " featuring adorned sacred books of Tibetan. While well aware of illuminated books from Christianity and Islam, this was my first experience with this eastern version, and it's not very different. Artist-monks used gold, silver, and other precious materials to adorn the devotion texts as they attempted to heighten the spiritual experience. Now that my lunch visit is over, I'll be back in a few hours for the cocktails .

THE NEW YORK TIMES By Eve Kahn A detail of a mural at Santa Maria Antiqua, one of the oldest churches in the Roman Forum. ITALY -- By the eighth century one of the earliest churches in Rome was considered quaint enough to be called Santa Maria Antiqua . In September, Santa Maria Antiqua is scheduled to reopen for tour groups by invitation, and the public is scheduled to be allowed in next year. Analysis and conservation, under way since 2001 and partly financed by the World Monuments Fund , are nearly complete. The portraits of saints, surrounded by images of date trees and improbable fringed curtains, will remain partly unrestored and noticeably eroded. [ link ]

HUFFINGTON POST | RELIGION By Dori Hartley "Elijah, the Angel of Renewal" by Dori Hartley I do not believe in God or religion, but I am a fanatic for religious and beatific art. My adoration is not restricted to any particular style or time period, either. I love everything from the illuminated and highly designed manuscripts of the Quran, to the wildly colorful depictions of Hindu deities, all the way through the Medieval and Renaissance portrayals of the annunciation, Madonna and Child, the trials and tribulations of the saints. Everything religion would have me feel, I feel ... but not because of any kind of faith in a deity. God does not make sense to me. Art does. I am the atheist who loves angels, and I am risen. [ link ]

ALPHA OMEGA ARTS By Tahlib This week's A&O 5 Faiths Fridays  explores religious art-terrorism: a bestselling book by Seth Grahame-Smith about the 3 wise men; rioting in Tunisia  over an art show; vandalizing of Sister Louisa's Church (and bar) in Atlanta ; the fines assessed to  Russian artist for offending religious authorities; and lastly ancient Buddhist statues viewed today as Hindu gods by locals in  India .

CHICAGO TRIBUNE By Claudine Ise "Four Winds of Heaven" (1960) by William Blayney | David T. Owsley Collection ILLINOIS -- When it comes to the 165 works of folk art on view in the group exhibition " Heaven + Hell ," Judeo-Christian notions of sin and salvation reign supreme. There's an abundance of fire-and-brimstone imagery to be found here, and more harp-strumming angels than you can shake a stick at. Yet if you're willing to look past the cliches, you'll find a surprising level of depth and variety not only in the show's depictions of the afterlife, but also in its portrayal of the human condition right here on Earth. The exhibition is split in two, with Loyola University Museum of Art (LUMA) presenting artworks about heaven, and Intuit: The Center for Intuitive and Outsider Art doing likewise for those about hell. [ link ]

THE MIAMI HERALD By John Coppola Mama quiere menga, menga de su nkombo (Mama Wants Blood, Blood of His Bull), 1988 FLORIDA -- Cuban artist José Bedia’s stark silhouettes and totemic figures are Miami icons — Among the few places where his Afro-Cuban-inspired images have not been regularly seen are in the city’s public museums. That gap has now been filled with the opening of Transcultural Pilgrim: Three Decades of Work by José Bedia at the Miami Art Museum. Much of the MAM exhibition’s appeal does, in fact, come from its exploration of the sources of Bedia’s images in indigenous cultures and religions of the Caribbean, Mexico, South America and Africa. It includes not only Bedia’s paintings and drawings, but also examples of the ethnographic objects he collects and uses as references. [ link ]