Dear colleagues,

Just under two weeks ago this advert appeared online – and as someone who has been glued to the TV every week of the twelve seasons the series has been broadcast, it heralded Autumn, but also joy. Joy in seeing how the same face of three ‘celebrity’ sitters would be captured, often differently, by the nine different amateur and professional artists involved in the weekly competition.

The programme is a weekly reminder that sometimes how we see ourselves, isn’t exactly how others see us – artists capturing details and insights that can be refreshing and insightful. The inclusive nature of the range of celebrity sitters, sometimes shows how the character of individuals shines through, despite in some cases, facial changes that have happened through unexpected circumstances. Far from a deeply philosophical programme, it is for me, a joyful reminder of the Biblical teaching of being made in God’s image; and how creativity is a gift. It never ceases to amaze me how the range of charcoal, watercolours, and an interesting, if on occasion odd, collection of methods of capturing someone’s essence on paper, board, canvas and other media, evokes deep analysis from the expert art historian, painter and curator who co-host the show.

During this Black History month may I introduce you, or celebrate alongside those readers who are familiar with the art of Kehinde Wiley. An academically trained artist, Wiley paints black and brown bodies in proud poses against ornate decorative backgrounds on monumental canvases, riffing on art-historical masterpieces from the Renaissance and Baroque eras. Kings, nobles, and wealthy merchants are among the subjects depicted in Wiley’s source material. But biblical and extrabiblical saints, and Christ himself, are also present. For centuries religious imagery had a commanding presence in churches, palaces, homes, and government buildings, exercising sway over the imagination and steering popular devotion. By translating European devotional paintings—fashioned in the image of the white ruling class—into a contemporary idiom that places black bodies up front and centre, Wiley rectifies the lack of representation of racial minorities in and as the body of Christ.

Whereas “whiteness” and “holy” have long been conflated in Western art, Wiley proclaims holy blackness. His racialisation of beloved Christian saints prompts us to recognize the dignity and sacredness of people of colour, the IMAGO DEI in which we all are made. His 7 feet high and 5 feet wide oil on canvas official portrait of Barack Obama is engaging and takes a different angle on official portraits for the American National Portrait Gallery.

I assume adult readership of this fortnightly Bulletin, but always have an eye and hope that my introductory musings might be ‘translated’ and made relevant for the children in our classrooms, families and youth groups. So, I commend an appropriate, age-appropriate conversation, debate or even a challenge with those children and young people you meet in the coming weeks about how they can combine art and activism in their daily lives. ‘The Artivist’ is a 2023 picture book aimed at 5-8 year olds, but I’ve gifted it to teenagers and adults in my family and friendship circles, and think it should also have an ‘adult’ offer, given the stunning illustrations and major message throughout – hugely timely in this period of agitation and unrest in our country.

Nikkolas Smith has produced an inspiring picture book about how children can combine art and activism in their daily lives. "They say I'm an artist. They say I'm an activist" - when a young boy realizes the scope of inequities in the wider world, he's seized with the urge to do more. He decides to bring together the different parts of himself―the artist and the activist―to become. . . an Artivist. After his mural goes viral, he sets out to change the world one painting at a time. With inspiring text and stunning illustrations by Nikkolas Smith, The Artivist is a call to action for young readers to point out injustice in their lives and try to heal the broken bones of the world through their art.