Advance notice of an exciting event to be held at Solihull Methodist Church later this year. Come & See the…
Methodist Modern Art Collection
This prestigious Art Collection was an initiative started by a Methodist layman, Dr John Gibbs over 40 years ago. He felt that ‘religious art’ and ‘church furnishings’ were poor. He and Rev Douglas Wollen worked together to purchase the collection. The Methodist Church is very grateful for the foresight, energy and generosity of these two people.
There are over 50 paintings in the compete collection covering the birth, life, death, resurrection and ascension of Christ. Many of the paintings are ecumenical in nature. It first toured the country in the early 1960s at major art galleries and continues to do so but now goes to a variety of venues. It has recently been exhibited in Bath Abbey, Kent College, Canterbury and Haywards Heath. After Solihull it will move on to Hull to help celebrate their year as City of Culture.
Some paintings are by famous artists such as Graham Sutherland (The Deposition) and Elizabeth Frink (Pieta). The painting on this website is the Dalit Madonna by Jyoti Sahl and he has linked the nativity story to the culture and traditions of his Indian homeland.
Solihull Methodist Church is celebrating the 80th anniversary of it church building in Blossomfield Road and is celebrating the anniversary by showing 24 paintings in an exhibition called Come & See. They will be displayed in 2 venues:
- Solihull Methodist Church, and
- The Courtyard Gallery, Solihull Library.
Alongside the art exhibition there will be a number of other events including a Flower Festival (12 – 16 September, organised by friends of Solihull Flower Club), weekly musical recitals, a concert of light classical organ music by Nigel Ogden (9th September) and a choral concert with musical pieces linked to the paintings (Come, See and Hear on 30th September)