The Spiritual Exercises

An online exhibition mediating memory and longing via the parameters of the present, featuring over 80 artists including several London Group members.

Still Burning – Charlotte C Mortensson

 

The Spiritual Exercises is an online exhibition of works mediating memory and longing via the parameters of the present. It has been organised by Arts Chaplaincy Projects – a partnership between University of the Arts London & the Diocese of London, which connects arts practitioners with spiritual communities, and creates mentoring opportunities for students. 

Charlotte C Mortensson, Erika Winstone, and Matthew Kolakowski of The London Group took part. 

There was a moment, corresponding to but not defined by the lockdown. Some artists were locked out of their studios, and others, who maybe don’t have studios, but situate their practice in the outside world, were locked in. In this regard, they were like many other workers; but there is a sense in which ‘working from home’ can mean something different for artists. In this moment also, perhaps for the first time ever, the air in the city was clean, and as a result everything looked different, especially in the seemingly endless sunshine. The architectural detail of each building we passed during our daily exercises was made visible, and found to be extraordinary. And there was another curious aspect to this moment; we were collectively living in a way that at least intended to put the needs of the most vulnerable first. It didn’t last long — the air is thickening, and our social spirit is running thin again — but we paused for a moment; and perhaps we will remember what this felt like, when we come to make decisions about the next right thing to do in our ongoing crisis, which began long before the current pandemic, and is environmental, social, and indeed spiritual.

It was during this moment that The Spiritual Exercises project took place, and around a hundred artists responded to an open call.

You can see the exhibition here :

https://artschaplaincy.net/projects/index/the-spiritual-exercises/