Art and Artifacts Reflect Canada's Christian Heritage"Every piece of art, be it religious or secular, be it a painting, a sculpture, a poem or any form of handicraft made by loving skill, is a sign and a symbol of the inscrutable secret of human existence, of man's origin and destiny, of the meaning of his life and work. It speaks to us of the meaning of birth and death, of the greatness of man." — John Paul II
Hull, Quebec, November 4, 1999 — The Canadian Museum of Civilization is marking the year 2000 and the Christian bimillenary with a new exhibition, Under the Sign of the Cross: Creative Expressions of Christianity in Canada, opening today. More than 130 fascinating objects from the Canadian Museum of Civilization's and the Canadian War Museum's collections demonstrate the religious faith of their makers or owners and the pervasive influence of Christianity in Canada.
Under the Sign of the Cross is an exhibition of religious objects created mainly by Canadians — paintings, sculptures, icons, bibles, miniature models and music — that illustrate the impact of Christianity on Canada as an integral part of the country's heritage and cultural profile. The works represent several Christian denominations, including Catholic, Protestant and Orthodox.
Curator Dr. Robert Klymasz explained that although the Museums do not have a religious collection per se, their ethnology, folk art, history, postal, library and war art collections contain an eclectic range of Christian-inspired items that have formed the basis of a powerful exhibition for the bimillenary of Christ's birth.
"I hope that this exhibition will touch people on a personal level at the same time as they enjoy the variety of creative ways Canadians have been moved to express their faith," said Klymasz.
Certain works are of particular interest, such as a stunning serigraph of Christ with a crown of thorns by Tsimshian artist Roy Henry Vickers, or renowned Inuit artist Pudlo Pudlat's exquisite stonecut print of an Arctic angel. Eastern Orthodox icons such as Slavco Protic's gleamingly patriotic Mother of God of Canada have a serene and universal power to communicate the motivations of the artist.
Some objects on display were created not only to express Christian faith, but also to serve a practical use. A kitchen apron, embroidered with part of the 23rd Psalm, was made and worn by a Scottish-born woman in Ontario, and a glass tumbler made in Montreal is etched with the Lord's Prayer. Although all of the objects hold special meaning for those who created them, some had a particular importance for the person who possessed them. The best example in Under the Sign of the Cross may be a flattened penny inscribed with the Lord's Prayer that is reputed to have ricocheted a bullet and saved the life of a Canadian soldier in the First World War.
Christianity's effect has often been intense on the battlefield, as shown by art and artifacts from the Canadian War Museum in which Christian beliefs and practices are linked to national war efforts. Other works borrow some of their power from Christian imagery and symbolism. The selection includes a haunting painting by A. Y. Jackson, who later became a founding member of the Group of Seven. This section of the exhibition includes a variety of artifacts, such as a New Testament carried by a soldier through many battles during the First World War and a portable communion set.
The exhibition has been laid out in the Arts and Traditions Hall in the form of a cross. Its nine galleries group objects according to themes: the visual aspect of God, the aural aspect of God and the written aspect of God. All of these are explored in a rich and atmospheric decor.
Christianity also exists in our culture through music, represented in the exhibition by a Canadian-made church organ on loan from Carleton University. The organ will be used at several organ recitals to be held in the exhibition, and visitors can also sample the diversity of Christian music by listening at audio booths to Gregorian chant, folk music, gospel music and more.
Another special feature of Under the Sign of the Cross is renowned iconographer and artist Heiko Schlieper at work, as he uses traditional techniques to creates an icon of Christ's Entry into Jerusalem in the form of a mural.
Under the Sign of the Cross: Creative Expressions of Christianity in Canada will be on display from November 5, 1999 to March 18, 2001 in the Arts and Traditions Hall of the Canadian Museum of Civilization.
Renseignements (médias) :
Relationniste auprès des médias : (819) 776-7169
Relationniste principale auprès des médias : (819) 776-7167
Téléc. : (819) 776-7187
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