Affirming the Faith of Christian Artists & their Art

By Sue Careless

THE DILEMMA faced by many Christians working in the arts was expressed succinctly in 1999 by Karyn Percival, a painter, printmaker and sculptor: 

“We are marginalized by the world because we are Christians and we are marginalized by the Church because we are artists.”

John Franklin, the Executive Director of Imago, says that the charity was founded “to create a place to affirm the faith of Christian artists and to also affirm their art.” 

 

John Franklin

Franklin’s own childhood home in Toronto had manifest little in the way of artistic or academic sensibilities. He has no memory of his mother who died before he was two. His father remarried but died when John was only nine leaving John and his older brother orphans. But they were raised by their “extraordinary” stepmother, Auntie Em. 

“My life is graced. God sent us an angel full of the fruits of the spirit.” 

John’s father sent the two boys off to the Mennonite Sunday School each week. John so enjoyed the experience that later he attended three nearby church schools: a Methodist one at 9am, Mennonite Church at 11 and the Danforth Gospel Hall at 3pm.

“I was a spiritual gypsy and ecumenical from an early age,” Franklin admits with a smile.

John met his future wife Marion when they both were attending grade nine at a Christian school but they didn’t date until later. 

John never struggled with his faith, and by 16 had written a tract “Opportunity Knocks” which he passed out while evangelizing on Yonge Street. 

After one semester at the University of Saskatchewan, Franklin took three months off to travel in Europe. There he found himself drawn over and over again to the great museums: the Louvre in Paris, the Prado in Madrid, Bavarian State Opera in Munich. He had never attended an opera but now he was listening to La Boheme at the Paris Opera House and Aida at the Baths of Caracalla in Rome.  

“I found myself asking, ‘What am I doing here?’ but I loved it all.” 

In 1966 he and Marion were married and lived for a year in London, England where they soaked up the city’s vibrant culture.  

On their return to Toronto, John took up studies at the University of Guelph, majoring in philosophy. He then went on to U of T to do graduate studies in Philosophy. It was at that time he was invited to teach at what was then the Ontario Bible College, but which is now Tyndale College and Seminary. Although philosophy was his discipline, he spent much of his last decade there hanging art on the walls and organizing art events. 

One September as new students arrived, Franklin was up a ladder hanging a painting. Glancing down he noticed a young woman in tears. When he asked if she was all right, she replied, “Oh, yes. It’s just that when I came here, I had no idea anyone would be interested in the arts.” 

In 1995 Franklin was voted in by his colleagues as academic dean, but was stunned two years later to find himself and three others suddenly let go. 

“I loved teaching and had no idea what I would do next.” 

Despite his uncertainty he knew that he couldn’t nurture a spirit of retaliation or revenge. He knew that he had to forgive those who had been responsible for his dismissal else an unforgiving spirit would foster bitterness – and once bitterness took residence he would live under its tyranny. 

And by God’s grace he did land on his feet. Remarkably within a few months he was invited by the Chair of the board of Imago to apply to be its CEO. There were nine applicants but he got the job. He has been Executive Director for the past 22 years. 

 

Wilbur Sutherland 

Franklin succeeded Wilbur Sutherland who had founded Imago in 1972 and been its executive director for 25 years, until his death in 1997.

Since the late 1940s Sutherland had been on staff with Inter-Varsity Christian Fellowship Canada and was appointed its General Secretary in 1952. His wife Barbara was a trained ballet dancer who performed with a Christian drama group called Creation 2. Wilbur supported his wife’s passion for dance and drama, and had a growing interest in a variety of endeavours, especially among Toronto’s artists.

He decided to leave IVCF in 1969 and with several other Christians started to explore how to affirm Christian artists. The Sutherlands were parishioners at Little Trinity on King Street and its rector Harry Robinson and member Paul Gouch, for many years President of Victoria College, sat on Imago’s first board of directors. (Today Harry’s son, David Robinson, is an accomplished sculptor based in Vancouver.)

So Franklin says that although the faith-based charity is non-denominational, “Imago was birthed out of an Anglican community.” Today the Franklins attend Little Trinity and the chair of Imago, Liz Downie, is also a parishioner. 

Practical help 

How does Imago’s objective to affirm Christian artists and their art actually play out in practice?  The charity engages this mandate in several ways including events, performances, discussions, one-on-one conversations, study groups and the adoption of projects.

Initially an artist approaches Imago with a specific project in mind. Franklin meets with the artist and discusses their concept, then asks them to submit a written proposal that must include a financial plan. 

Their work needs to be of a high artistic calibre. To judge this, depending on the media, a CD or a video of their work is sent to be peer reviewed by someone in the same field. Finally, based on the artist’s proposal and the peer review, the board decides whether to adopt the project and grant it charitable status. 

When a project has charitable status, the artist can then apply to various agencies and foundations for grants. 

“Though we do not fund projects we adopt them and seek to facilitate their funding by profiling those projects,” explains Franklin. “Our acceptance means that as an Imago project it has the benefits of charitable status and donations to the project are receipted by Imago.”

Its website states that “Imago is a registered charity committed to facilitating the realization of initiatives in the creative arts in Canada…. Specifically, we are advocates for artistry done out of a Judeo-Christian faith perspective.” 

The projects can be in any area of the arts and need not be specifically Christian in their content. “Our concern is for artistic integrity and high calibre work.”

Imago has supported not only the visual arts and music but also poetry and drama such as Bruce Kuhn’s one-man show, The Gospel of Luke, which is currently in performance in Vancouver. Ins Choi, the creator of Kim’s Convenience, said in a video created to celebrate the 40th anniversary of Imago: “I consider Imago my artistic and spiritual home.”

Some artists that have taken off with Imago’s help and not looked back include: Motus O, a contemporary dance theatre that will celebrate its 30th anniversary this fall, and Against the Grain Theatre, an award-winning Canadian opera collective that presents classical music in innovative ways and unusual venues.       

The making of a high-quality CD, however, can easily cost $25,000 to $30,000 so even established musicians like Mike Janzen may return to Imago for charitable assistance.  

None of the artists have disappointed Franklin. He only regrets that a few were not able to raise the funds that they needed or that they struggled to find a good venue to display their work.    

 

Exposure & Discussion

Imago also profiles the work of Christian artists in various venues. For it’s 30th anniversary in 2002, Imago sponsored a national art competition A New Heaven and a New Earth. The thirty finalists exhibited at the Painted City Gallery in Toronto and $18,000 worth in prizes from a private sponsor was awarded at the Glenn Gould Studio in Toronto. The exhibition later travelled to Regent College in Vancouver. 

Two or three Imago events are held each year, sometimes in collaboration with other organizations and institutions. In 2017 they held a small conference at TIFF Lightbox called Opening Frames – on Faith, Film and the Media. 

They have also collaborated with the Canadian Bible Society, the Institute for Christian Studies, Ryerson University, the Henry Nouwen Society, Wycliffe College, Trinity College and the Toronto School of Theology.   

Sometimes Imago hosts international speakers at these events such as Britain’s Jeremy Begbie who specializes in the interplay between theology and the arts, particularly music. Other international speakers have included British script and screenwriter Murray Watts, American professor of theology and film Robert K. Johnston and British poet Malcom Guite. 

Twice a year Franklin publishes a newsletter and has begun emailing Imago Reflection to Imago friends and supporters. Both profile Christian artists and upcoming events and offer some thoughtful reflection on faith and art. 

For the past year and a half Franklin has been responsible for keeping art on the walls of Leonard Hall at Wycliffe College in Toronto. Currently the work of Brian Johnston is on display. Franklin has also curated visual art exhibits at Toronto School of Theology and continues to curate exhibits at Ravi Zacharias International Ministries located at the CBC building in Toronto. All the exhibitions feature the work of Canadian artists.

John still lives in his childhood home but now the Franklins have filled it with thousands of books. Where its walls aren’t lined with volumes, they are graced with icons, paintings and prints. A small version of the sculpture Homeless Jesus by Canadian artist Timothy Schmalz rests on Franklin’s desk while music fills the air.  

Marion practices the gracious art of hospitality, and for many of the Imago events prepares a generous spread of delectable hors d’oeuvres and desserts.      

What has been frustrating for Franklin who denies being a born optimist?  

“I think of myself more as inherently hopeful which, of course, is part of the fabric of Christian living.

“What is difficult is keeping up with all the possibilities. I’m not a natural administrator – more a visionary – so that is a challenge but the rest is a joy ride. It’s an honour, a delight meeting all the artists and experiencing all their work.”   TAP

 

Books on Art & Faith 

Compiled by John Franklin

In 1980 it was not easy to find books on art and faith – while currently it is virtually impossible to keep up with the constant flow that takes up this theme. Here are just a few:

• Jonathan Anderson and William Dyrness, Modern Art and the Life of a Culture: The Religious Impulses of Modernism, IVP Academic, 2016.

• Ned Bustard, ed. It Was Good: Making Art to the Glory of God, Square Halo Books, 2006.

• William Dyrness, Visual Faith: Art, Theology and Worship in Dialogue, Baker Academic, 2001.

• Richard Harries, Bishop of Oxford, Art and the Beauty of God: A Christian Understanding, Mowbray, 1993.

• Robert K. Johnston, Reel Spirituality: Theology and Film in Dialogue, Baker Academic, 2000.

•  Letter of His Holiness Pope John Paul II, To Artists, Pauline Books and Media, 1999.

•    Neil MacGregor with Erika Langmuir, Seeing Salvation: Images of Christ in Art, Yale University Press, 2000.

•   Rod Miller, C.S. Lewis and the Arts: Creativity in the Shadowlands, Square Halo Books Baltimore, 2013.

• Chaim Potok, My Name is Asher Lev, Fawcett Columbine Books, 1972.

•    Calvin Seerveld:  Bearing Fresh Olive Leaves: Alternative Steps in Understanding Art, Tuppence Press Toronto, 2000.

•    W. David O. Taylor, ed. For the Beauty of the Church: Casting a Vision for the Arts, Baker Books, 2010.

• Rowan Williams, Grace and Necessity: Reflections on Art and Love, Morehouse, 2005.   TAP

 

Crossings Lent 2021

Imago is planning its most ambitious project ever for Lent 2021. The public will be able to visit distinctive art works created specifically to capture the meaning of the Scriptural Stations of the Cross, set in an urban context. Canadian artists will be invited to create works for the fourteen Stations as well as the Triumphal Entry and the Resurrection – under the title Crossings. Music, poetry, drama, dance and film will accompany the visual art. 

Over twenty downtown churches, twelve Christian organizations and several seminaries will be participating. As part of the huge project Imago will host panel discussions, lectures and conversations that will explore how to apply the Good Friday biblical narrative to such urban issues as poverty, racism, refugees, the environment, and ethnic and religious diversity. Imago is hoping to raise $200,000 to support the massive project, with a significant portion of these funds going to the participating artists.   TAP