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From The New York Shitty Inbox: A Request From Reverend Merz
This missive comes from the Pastor-in-charge of Greenpoint’s very own Church of the Ascension (and all-around nice guy): John Merz:
From the Rev John Merz, Episcopal Priest at the Church of the Ascension at 127 Kent Street. Greenpoint’s oldest church:
Feb 13th is Ash Wednesday which is the beginning of the season of Lent. One of the ancient practices in Lent is for people to walk the stations of the cross (walking meditation…an ancient practice) At Ascension we have the traditional 14 stations around the church space.
The 14 portray these themes (click here). I would like to propose that people take one or two and interpret or rework them. There are no boundaries at all in this, save one, no irony. It has been my experience that ironic detachment is a cover for a certain kind of intellectual or creative impotence (i.e. Serrano’s Piss Christ or Chris Ofili’s work would not fall under something disrespectful or ironic if that gives a bit more nuance of where I am coming from). So with that one ground rule I would love to open the opportunity for those interested in working on a station.The stations are archetypal and display are icons of some of the basic processes of being human: letting go, facing fear and fate, finding help along the way, the utilitarian worlds knack for punishing the creative loving spirit (maybe some artists can relate to that). Finally there is the brooding and hard reality of death’s opacity. I am not sure if it would be possible to pull something together for the week of Ash Wednesday but if there are artists that want to jump on this email me at john@ascensionbrooklyn.org let me know what you think and if you have friends that would be down send it along to them and have them get back to me. Maybe we can do an opening sometime in Lent…anyway, if you like the idea let me know, if you have a station you want to do let me know too. If you want to come and see the stations stop by on a Sunday or schedule an appointment with me
Yours, John
I for one think this is a wonderful idea. Let’s get cracking north Brooklynites— and spread the word!
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