We will be driving over very early tomorrow morning to Lincoln, in order to set up my exhibition in the Chapter House. The exhibition (entitled The Green Man: contemporary Christian responses to an ancient image) brings together fifteen pieces on which I’ve been working during the past year. I am very curious as to what the response will be.
In the back of my mind is an experience several years ago when a piece of my work, consisting of a response to Holman Hunt’s celebrated image of Christ “the Light of the World”, incorporating an image of the Dottore della peste from the Italian Commedia dell’arte, excited a very irate response from one viewer.* It seems that a some people are unhappy about challenges to traditional iconography. I don’t thank that there is anything in the new exhibition that is likely to generate such excitement, but you never know. Of course, as usual, all comment from viewers will be welcome.
- This is still in the “gallery” entitled Faith in the imagination. About one half of the images I will be showing on this occasion can be seen in the “gallery” entitled The Green Man Project.