It’s
Palm Sunday today, marking the beginning of Holy Week. Easter is just around
the corner, and most people will be celebrating it at home during these
troubled times.
Between
1987 and 1992 I created some paintings of the 14 Stations of the Cross (the Catholic devotion that commemorates Jesus Christ's last day on Earth).
The
paintings were installed in the lovely round stone church of the All Souls
Mission in Mutoko, a rural district of Zimbabwe, in 1992, and before putting them up took these photos of them. Each painting stands
at 1m x 1.5m high.
I’m happy to report that all the paintings are still there, in very good condition too, for the doctor now in charge - Dr Massimo Migani - kindly took some photographs of them this very day.
I’m happy to report that all the paintings are still there, in very good condition too, for the doctor now in charge - Dr Massimo Migani - kindly took some photographs of them this very day.
I painted another piece, this time of the Ascension, in 1998. It took six weeks to complete. It is 3m x 2m and now hangs just behind the altar in the
Chapel of Nazareth House, a lovely care home for the elderly, on Enterprise Road in
Harare.
I
hope this post brings hope and inspiration to everyone.
 |
The Ascension |
 |
| All Souls Mission church (photos by Dr Massimo Migani) |
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| Inside the church today |
Dear Joan, Most gifted , caring lady.. friend to us all, and to humanity. How wonderful to have all these photos ex zim.. and to know that the paintings are still treasured and , no doubt, serving their purpose! I can’t understand or remember why I didn’t actually get back to Mrewa to view your finale ! ( probably, those mixed circumstances, as usual!) But .. my congratulations, even now! ... happy for you, and for this timely Easter blog . Zim’s hurdles seem forever ... but we hope for Ours,there, and for the millions of Others! My greetings a t this time... while returning to gaze at your world of paintings left behind.
ReplyDeleteLove from your old arty shamwari, Pauline.
Thank for all your kind words of encouragement. So glad you enjoyed them. Joan
DeleteHow absolutely beautiful! I walked the walk of Jesus in Jerusalem at the end of Passover last year, and these pictures feel so authentic. What a gifted artist, thank you for sharing them! From Kathy Nel - I was a teacher at Bryden.
ReplyDeleteThank you Kathy for your kind words So glad you enjoyed them. Joan
DeleteMy dear Auntie Joan - these are amazing! As a young boy while attending as a boarder at St Thomas Aquinas school in Bulawayo (1962-64) I was an alter boy and served at many Friday evening "Stations of the Cross" and seeing these brings home the message so clearly and vividly. Such a talent - thank you. My love to you - David
ReplyDelete