The Melheimian Sabbatiblog

He Qi at Concordia Sem

Here's a little Christmas card hanging at the entrance of Concordia Seminary in St. Louis. Stop in and see it, and the largest collection of He Qi art ever assembled - 40 pieces - if you happen to be in town between now and January.

He Qi Inappropriate?

We received a call last week from a woman who thought the art of Dr. He Qi was inappropriate for 7th grade boys.

Any thoughts on that one? Comments? Agreements? Critiques?

Here's my take on why I chose the works of this quiet genius to be the center of our brand and first focus on all of our lessons... at all age levels.

First, a comment:

One can’t argue taste. One can't argue art. And one certainly can’t argue someone’s opinion or taste in art.

Second, art for art's sake is fine, but I choose to use art as a beginning point of a journey into the mind and an introduction to the learning process. Picasso said “Art is the lie that helps you see the truth.”

Art that is evocative, provocative, bright, multi-ethnic, story-based, vibrant and powerful will always have fans, and always have detractors. To me, the art is not the point of the art. What great art does is to lead the observer either privately or publicaly into a dialogue. Like a great song, a great poem, a great dance, or a great piece of theater, visual art attacks multiple areas of the brain and creates an array of electrical activity flashing about the mind. When used in education as a starting point, great art draw out comments, thoughts, impressions, emotions, and conversation around the theme. The art is not the point. The engagement of the whole mind with others' minds is the point. Using great art as a lead-in that gets kids (people) involved in the “what do you see” and “who are you in this painting” and “what do the painting and the Bible verse say to one another” - this turns the art into a true “educatio” (draw out) tool. Whether the great art is a great story, a great painting, a great poem, a great parable, it great art solicits a great engagement which the skillful teacher can then use to build the theme.

From my experience, the visual art of Dr. He Qi does this better than any Christian art in existence. It is iconic. It is vibrant. It is humorous. It had hidden symbols and meaning laced throughout. It is Picasso meets Matisse meets Chagal meets the East.

It is not simply good art. It is great art. It does all this and more.

To me, faith without art is an unfurnished mansion.

I want He Qi's art to lead kids to discuss, engage, learn, remember, and create their own art after seeing it.

It is a seed.

Rich

PS - How old do you have to be to appreciate great art? How much education do you need in order to be drawn into it and drawn out?

GodTube & He Qi

Here's a little something on GodTube you might enjoy.

In the beginning..

 

Love Song

Art Moves the Movements that Move the World

Here's a little piece I recently sent to the Mayor of New York, the Ambassador from China, and the heads of the national media and national churches.

 

Dear Friends, 

This Sunday I'd like you to meet a man who I believe he will become the Michaelangelo of the next millenium.  If art moves the movements that move the world, my friend may ultimately have more influence on the culture of China for the next 500 years than Chairman Mao.

I know this may seem like an impossible and outlandish request from the former "Outstanding Journalist" of the University of North Dakota class of 1977 (yeah, that's me), but every once in a while I find something so compelling that I've got to tell somebody.

Here's why:

If Kevin Kelly of Wired magazine is correct in Wired Magazine  http://churchrelevance.com/kevin-kelly-on-the-next-1000-years-of-christianity/, the center of the faith of two billion people will likely move to Asia over the next 500 years.

If that's the case, there is one humble genius of an artist who's struggle through the Cultural Revolution and evolution as an artist may well have more influence on the world since any artist in history.

I would like you to meet him.

   

I am throwing a little reception for Dr. He Qi of Nanjing (www.heqigallery.com) on Sunday, June 24, from 2 - 4 at the Museum of Biblical Art, 1865 West Broadway in New York.  Seven of his originals are on display at the Museum of Bible Art , 1865 W. Broadway, all summer, while his print show goes on display at beginning Thursday, June 28, at  St.  John the Divine - running through Labor Day.  

His "Look Toward the Heavens" show of 27 of brilliant works has been traveling the country for the last two years. Folks as far away as in Japan, Argentina, South Africa and Australia are begging him to come and show, paint, and lecture. He Qi was artist-in-residence at the Overseas Ministry Center at Yale in 2005, and this fall has been invited to do the same at Oxford in England , and to paint a mural in a new mission hours that the Archbishop of Cantebury will dedicate October 26.  He Qi was recently described in a book published at Yale as "Chagall meets Matisse meets Picasso meets the East." 

It would be our great honor to have you join us for the reception Sunday. If you're up for it, we're going out for dinner after that and you'd be welcome to that, too. He Qi just flew to the States from China and only will be in Manhattan for 24 hours - Sunday Morning through Monday morning.

I know your viewers would find his story of learning to paint during the Cultural Revolution (Chairman Mao by day, Raphael's Madonna by night) fascinating.  

I do.

I also know this is very short notice, but thank you much for your kind consideration. If you absolutely can't make it or send someone,  I could arrange a phone interview.

But you gotta ask yourself - if you had a chance to interview Michaelangelo at the moment his genius was about to be unleashed on world, would you do it or send someone else?

(-;

Rev. Rich Melheim

www.faithink.com 

(By the way, He Qi calls me his "free agent." I refuse to be paid for this. I find it an uttery joy and honor. He's a quiet, humble genius who will one day shape the world.)

New He Qi Sketch

Here's a new piece my friend He Qi just sketched for the ELCA's Global Mission Event logo for the new year.

Any comments before we send it off?

Torture

Art is the Lie

Art is the lie that helps you see the truth. - Picasso

I was mulling over the words "art" and "artificial" and "artifact" this morning while looking out my window at the 20 x 20 ft Christmas card I hung last week. Digging around online I found this:

American Heritage Dictionary - Cite This Source

ar·ti·fi·cial   (är'tə-fĭsh'əl)  Pronunciation Key     

adj. 

1. 1. Made by humans; produced rather than natural.
   2. Brought about or caused by sociopolitical or other human-generated forces or influences: set up artificial barriers against women and minorities; an artificial economic boom.
2. Made in imitation of something natural; simulated: artificial teeth.
3. Not genuine or natural: an artificial smile.

Question for the day: Are you artificial?

Worship, Art & Liturgy

"What are you Melheim? Lazy or Stupid? If you are lazy, that's no excuse! If you are stupid, that's an excuse!" - Dr. Demitri Georgicas, my first (but not last) Greek Professor at UND whenever I messed up on a translation in front of the class

Hold that thought. I'll get back to it in a moment. First a question: Who does the art for your corporate worship? Professional artists? Only adults? Only people who have been dead for 100 years?

Here's another question: What are you - lazy or stupid?

Why in the H-E-Double Toothpicks wouldn't you want the kids of your church sharing their art every week?  Why wouldn't you feature their interpretions of the texts ALL THE TIME - not just on a youth Sunday? Why wouldn't you celebrate their art  and make it both seen AND heard as part of enriching the worship (and pulling inactive parents into worship) every week in every worship?

Why shouldn't they be singing the texts, signing the texts, arting the texts, acting the texts?

If liturgy is the "work of the people" why not let the children of your church do some liturgy to be featured on your PowerPoints every Sunday during the offering this year? ("The offering that didn't fit in the plate today is sponsored by our Sunday School kids who have studied the preacher's text and have illustrated it for your enjoyment and education...")

If worship is the "vehicle that brings worth to God" then why not let the children's art bring some worth go God on your bulletin covers every Sunday in 2007?

And who is the star of your children's sermons? If the answer is the pastor, you're both lazy AND stupid. Why shouldn't the children's sermons be done by the children?

Why? At the risk of sounding preachy (shudder... this coming from a preacher) it's because we are either:

1. Lazy
2. Stupid

Let's get active and smart.

Kids will drag their parents and friends if they are a significant part of the worship experience every week. They're the best evangelists and faith interpreters you've got.

Use them or lose them.

A Little Christmas Card

Preach the Gospel at all times... if necessary use words. - St. Francis of Assissi

Here's a little something (eedeear domshee in Mandarin) that I've been doing for fun and non-profit this week. Publish glad tidings and all. Yeah, that's me hanging out the window.

Melheim Interviews 4: Sculptor Louis Smolak

I sat down today with 97-year-old sculptor Louis Smolak to talk about inspiration and the stories behind his work.