ILLUMINATING
THE WORD:
THE
SAINT JOHN’S BIBLE and THE CONTEMPLATIVE
LANDSCAPE
New
Mexico History Museum
Opening
October 22, 2011
Context
New Mexico has long
been noted as the Land of Enchantment, a landscape of powerful
spiritual resources; a place to renew one’s commitment to oneself,
one’s community, and to transcendent creative forces. Creativity
and spirituality have been pervasive social phenomena from the
beginning of human history; without an interest in the humanities, in
personal ethics and values, as manifest in everyday life, we lose our
ability to contribute to the greater good of humanity. The humanities
inform all creative expression and underscore the kinship of all
peoples regardless of religious practice. Spiritual beliefs and
practices are deeply personal, while at the same time they are very
often celebrated communally. Religious interpretations are as unique
as there are individuals, whether practicing in private or in sacred
communities.
The
Saint John’s
Bible
The Bible has had
enormous influence on life in New Mexico ever since it was carried
into the territory over 400 years ago by explorers, soldiers, friars,
and settlers from Spain. Our presentation of a modern, 21st
Century Bible highlights the state’s long-held dedication to
religion, history and art. Historically, hand-written Bibles were the
work of monastic communities requiring years of devotion to the
craft. The Saint John's Bible
is being produced by lay scribes and artisans under the guidance of
Benedictine monks at Saint John’s Abbey, and is truly an embodiment
of artistic excellence. As a Bible, it employs ancient and
contemporary theology as well as designs and symbols from cultures
the world over, The Saint John's Bible
attempts to express the divine love for humankind and all creation.
It has been called “America’s Book of Kells.” This
exhibit will be one of the last times the pages of this masterpiece
can be viewed before they are bound into book form and returned to
the Abbey.
The Contemplative Landscape
The Contemplative
Landscape features black and white photographs of sacred
locations or landscapes in New Mexico dedicated to ceremonial
purposes, either paying tribute to an ascendant ritual authority or
for the purposes of contemplation. Many of the images explore the
idea of sacred community performing in landscape: the land, art,
architecture, and people who build and populate the sacred in its
various manifestations are all depicted in these images. The
photographs complement the manuscript pages by featuring as many of
the religious organizations from across New Mexico as possible,
including Hispanic Catholic, Sikh, Buddhist, Confucian, Hindu,
Eastern Orthodox, Jewish, Protestant, Baptist, Methodist, to name but
a few of the sacred communities represented in the state.
On Exhibit
The exhibits are
installed with low light both for conservation purposes and to create
a contemplative environment in which to view and think about not only
the objects and images one is viewing but to reflect on one’s
internal beliefs and guides. The vibrant pigments and gold leaf used
on the manuscript pages act as a counterpoint to the quiet black and
white images of sacred people and places in New Mexico. The middle of
the gallery contains a labyrinth. We hope that throughout the
duration of the exhibition, visitors continue to seek out the solace
of the gallery not only as a place for reverie but also as an
invitingly quiet space to escape from the cares of the day for a few
moments of contemplative reflection and meditation. Both exhibits
will open on October 22, 2011. The Saint
John’s Bible will close on
April 7, 2012. The Contemplative Landscape
will continue through December 31, 2012.
Programming and Event Schedule
Saturday, October
22, 2011 from 5 – 7 PM, VIP Reception for
Saint John’s Bible
& The Contemplative
Landscape
Sunday, October
23, 2011 from 2 – 4 PM, in the NMHM
Auditorium followed by a public reception in the Gathering Space and
Changing Exhibit Gallery
Public Lecture & Book Signing with
photographer Tony O’Brien & writer Christopher Merrill (Light
in the Desert: Photographs
from the Monastery of
Christ in the Desert,
MNM Press, Fall 2011)
Saturday, November
5, 2011 from 5:30 – 7:30 New Mexico
History Museum Gathering Space and Changing Exhibit Gallery St.
John’s University Private Reception
Sunday, November
6, 2011 from 2 – 4 PM, in the NMHM
Auditorium
Public lecture by Carol Neel
(Medievalist/Books of Hours) from Colorado College
Monday, November
7, 2011 from 7- 8:30 PM at the Lensic
Theater
Donald Jackson, one
of the
world’s
most
well-known
calligraphers
and
Official
Scribe to
Queen
Elizabeth
II of
England and
lead artist
for the
calligraphy
and artwork
for Saint
John’s
Bible
Tuesday,
November
8
from 5:30
– 7:30 New Mexico History Museum Gathering Space and Changing
Exhibit Gallery St. John’s University Private Reception
Friday, November
18, 2011 from 5:30 – 7:30 in the
NMHM Auditorium
Public Lecture – Pat Musick
Saturday, November
19, 2011 from 10 – 4 in the classroom
Workshop Pat Musick, Celtic letter
forms
Sunday, December
4, 2011 from 2 – 4 PM, NMHM Auditorium
Schola Cantorum & the Monks of
Christ in the Desert Monastery
Sunday, January
22, 2012 from 2 – 4 PM, NMHM Auditorium
Barry Moser (Caxton Bible) & John
Benson (Stone Carved Letters)
Sunday, February
26, 2012 from 2 – 4 PM, NMHM Auditorium
Dianne Von Arx (calligrapher for Saint
John’s Bible)
Sunday, March
25, 2012 from 2 – 4 PM, NMHM Auditorium
Father
Columba
Stewart,
OSB, DPhil,
executive
director of
the Hill
Museum and
Manuscript
Library at
St. John’s
University
in
Collegeville,
MN
Sunday, April
29, 2012 from 2 – 4 PM, NMHM Auditorium
Photographers Panel Discussion.
Tentatively to include:
Kirk Gittings, Ed Ranney, Janet Russek,
Sharon Stewart, Don Usner
Friday, June 1,
2012 from 5:30 – 7:30 PM, NMHM Auditorium
David Robin – Fragile Faith
Friday, June 8
– Monday, June 11, 2012,
Calligraphy workshop with Laurie Doctor,
NMHM classroom and Palace Press
Friday, July
13, 2012 from 5:30 – 7:30 PM, NMHM
Auditorium
Teresa Neptune & Miriam Sagan
Poetry & Photographs
Sunday, October
14, 2012 from 2 – 4 PM, NMHM Auditorium
John Carter – Ritualized Naming of
the Landscape through Photography
Sunday, November
4, 2012 from 2 – 4 PM, NMHM Auditorium
Lisa Gill poetry reading from Red
as A Lotus: Letters
to a Dead Trappist
& Compassion Rising a film about Tomas
Merton
Sunday, December
2, 2012 from 2 – 4 PM, NMHM Auditorium
Schola Cantorum & the Monks of
Christ in the Desert Monastery
