Banksy is an anonymous English based graffiti artist based in Bristol. His work consists mostly of a distinctive stencil based technique, and can be found on streets, bridges and walls of cities round the world. Many of his painted pieces are of a ‘social commentary’ nature, although in 2015 he organised a temporary art project in Weston-super-Mare at a disused Lido. Titled ‘Dismaland’, it was an ironic twist on Disneyland.   

Art is one of those things that can be incredibly subjective. One man’s graffiti art and installation is another man’s vandalism and waste of space.

Artists find their ideas from all sort of sources. Banksy from the state of society, sculptor and photographer Andy Goldsworthy from the natural world, surrealist Salvador Dali from the depths of his imagination.

Many artists have found their inspiration in the pages of the bible. Visiting the great art galleries of the world, the sheer number of painters who put brush to canvas to give image to words from scripture is striking. Michelangelo’s work on the Ceiling of the Sistine Chapel in Rome, and Leonardo da Vinci’s Last Supper at the convent of Santa Maria in Milan are works that have been reproduced countless times. They speak across the generations, in very much the same way that the bible that give brith to them did in the first place.

Art in our places of worship didn’t cease to be produced hundreds of years ago.

In the crypt at Winchester Cathedral stands a sculpture by British artist Anthony Gormley. ‘Sound II’ is described a a ‘mysterious’ life-size state of a man, contemplating the water held in his cupped hands. It is striking, especially when it stands in the foot or so of water that has filled the crypt which is regularly flooded during rainy months.

Art in our church buildings shouldn’t detract from the main purpose of these buildings – as places that we gather to worship God. Instead, like the songs we sing, the words we speak, and the scripture we read, it should focus us back on the creator God who has given us that creative urge himself.

(October 2016)