‘Sacred Spain’ Exhibit Features Historic Catholic Artwork, Artifacts

THE CATHOLIC TELEGRAPH
By Mary Ann Wyand

"MadridMadre Jerónima de la Fuente" (1620) by Diego Velázquez;
oil on canvas; 63 x 42 3/8 in. (160 x 107.5 cm); Museo Nacional del Prado, Madrid

INDIANA---“Sacred Spain: Art and Belief in the Spanish World,” a unique, one-time exhibition at the Indianapolis Museum of Art, is an incredible assembly of 17th-century paintings and other objects from Spain and Latin America. Indianapolis Museum of Art conservator Christina Milton O’Connell works on restoring the “Virgin of Guadalupe” in early June to prepare the painting for display in the museum’s “Sacred Spain: Art and Belief in the Spanish World” exhibition. The oil-on-ca nvas painting was created by an unknown artist in Mexico in about 1700. The exhibit, which opened Oct. 11 and runs through Jan. 3, was specially created for the museum and will only be shown there, said Ronda Kasl, senior curator of painting and sculpture before 1800. [link]

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A&O PRIZE FOR CLERGY (2009): Father Luke

AOA NEWS
By Ernest Britton

NEW YORK CITY - In recognition of his role as a rock-n-roller in Harlem and as a young Priest, Tahlib, a co-founder of the blog, Alpha Omega Arts announced today that Father Luke is the first inductee for the new A&O Prize for Clergy Advocates.

Tahlib said, "I certainly didn't expect to find a Roman Catholic monk who was also a rock musician as I boarded the flight from Indianapolis back home to NYC." Dressed, in the frigid January cold wearing a pair of sandals with woolly black socks, a thick grey robe, and a dusty-looking rope tied around his waist from which a huge wooden cross dangled, he hardly knew what to make of the monk waiting not far from him at the Indianapolis International Airport.


Once the passengers were called for boarding however, Tahlib quickly dismissed him as an eccentric, but God had other plans. "When I made my way to my seat on the plane," said Tahlib, "I found that the strange monk was already seated in the chair next to mine." Forced into an uncomfortable situation with a strange looking man, Tahlib began to share his life in NYC, and the young monk from a farm in Indiana began doing the same. Both idealists, Tahlib, a Civil Rights activists and Luke a Priest the too were soon engaged in an exciting conversation about faith, commitment and the power of art.

Father Luke is a one member of a group of young musicians & Franciscan Friars who are now giving rock concerts at their growing monastery in Harlem/NYC, all as part of their evangelizing efforts. Tahlib is a day-time Civil Rights activist, full time Christian and artist advocate. [link]

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A&O Prize (2009): Helen Zughaib

"Midnight Prayers" by Helen Zughaib

NEW YORK - "Midnight Prayers" (above) by Washington DC-based artist, Helen Zughaib is the 2009 winner of the 2nd annual Alpha & Omega Prize. The A&OPrize (no trophy or cash prize) is an annual contemporary religious art recognition for a single artwork by an American artist which has promoted a major dialogue about religion in America through during the past 12-18 months. Zughaib's goal is to bring about peace and interfaith understanding through her artworks. This summer, President Barack Obama gave Zughaib’s "Midnight Prayers" to Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki of Iraq.

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