Christian Asian Art at the Faith and Order Plenary

By Pauline J. Chang

The two weeklong Faith and Order plenary commission of the World Council of Churches, which ended on August 6, featured a ‘colorful’ aspect of ecumenism that was largely overlooked throughout the assembly – art. The lobby of the second floor of the historic Federal Hotel in Kuala Lumpar, Malaysia, where the commission met, was filled with colorful art exhibitions from 15 artists.

According to the WCC, the nearly 100 members of the commission and some 30 guests, observers and representatives had the opportunity to enjoy the art, at least during coffee breaks, and had the opportunity to contemplate paintings, photographs and sculptures. This “allowed them to open themselves to another language, one that is perhaps more ambiguous but certainly appeals to other dimensions of the human experience,” the WCC said through its press.

The exhibition was sponsored by the Asian Christian Art Association, which was founded in 1978 in Bali, Indonesia with the hope of encouraging artists to express Christian concern through their work and to witness the Christian faith in Asia. The association, which now has ten branches throughout Indonesia, organizes workshops about art and Christian faith as well as provides scholarship programme for aspiring young artists and produces publications.

To learn more about the Association, please visit its website at: www.asianchristianart.org

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