Newest Collection
Unto Us a Child Is Born, is an exhibition of artists, primarily from the 20th century, who have been moved by the profound mystery that surrounds the birth of our Savior. Most of the images are small works which require us to come close ... to engage with the intimacy of each piece. A majority of the artists are American but a Greek icon of the Madonna of Tenderness, an Egyptian papyrus painting of the Flight into Egypt, the charming wood engraving by the Russian/French artist Jean Lebedeff, and the Panamanian mola all expand the geographical circle of the nativity works.
Why the Bowden Collections?
The Bowden Collections
"I have always wanted to own art by other artists. My first pieces were pottery or works that I could swap with other artists. Then I began to make a greater commitment to strategically collecting. However, the most important reason is that it is enjoyable. What a thrill to “find” a piece, recognize its value and have it become part of my collection.
I feel like a caretaker, so to speak, of each piece in our collection, preserving it for the future. With every new acquisition comes a world of knowledge, a reservoir of information surrounding the piece that adds to the fascination and enjoyment.
The Bowden Collections focuses on religious art for several reasons: first, it is the subject I am most passionately interested in; second, it is a wonderful time to be collecting work with biblical themes because the art market in general is not particularly interested in art with religious content. I also feel that religious art needs exposure within the Christian community, and it is my intent to make these pieces available whenever possible for that purpose. I see my collector's role as a calling—something that is critically important to do at this particular time.
Alfred Manessier is a non-figurative French painter and stained glass maker of sacred art from the last half of the twentieth century and was associated with the Lyrical Abstraction movement after the Second World War. He is also known for his vibrantly colored lithographs many of which are in this exhibition. It is hoped that this show will introduce Alfred Manessier as an important artist of faith whose art rings forth a witness. Manessier’s art stands as a model of hope in a world searching for meaning."
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Marc Chagall and the Bible
Sadao Watanabe
Georges Rouault: Seeing Christ in the Darkness
Eden to Eternity: Molas of Panama
Was God Dead?
In the first decades of the twentieth century, the writings of the atheistic philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche were a powerful inspiration for the artistic and literary avant-garde communities in Berlin, Dresden, and Munich. His exuberant affirmation of the “vital forces” of life, anti-authoritarian iconoclasm, and withering condemnation of Christianity inspired artists and writers in their search for a new future that would liberate humanity from the suffocating aesthetic, cultural, political, and religious conventions derived from the Judeo-Christian tradition.
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Cardboard Chronicles: Rudolf Bostic
German Expressionist artist, Otto Dix , boldly recounts the story of the Book of Matthew with 34 lithographs. The cycle commences with an interpretation of the Sacrifice of Isaac as it looks forward to the work of the Savior, but the life of Jesus begins with the Adoration of the Magi, then it moves through his ministry and focuses on the Passion. Interestingly, Otto Dix ends the series with an image entitled, Go Therefore into the World, acknowledging that the work of the Gospel continues as we proclaim Christ’s redemption.
Who is My Neighbor?
Who is my Neighbor? Visual Insights from the Good Samaritan offers the viewer numerous opportunities to see this story anew, through the eyes of twenty-two artists spread across the last four centuries.
Come the Table is Ready
Come! The Table Is Ready is an invitation to celebrate gathering with family and friends, but also with those of common faith around the table of our Lord. The table is one of the foremost places of human connection. It is a rich biblical metaphor, a place of gathering, a place of blessing, and a place where we share and serve.
Sacred Art of Ethiopia
The Sacred Art of Ethiopia
Ethiopia is one of the oldest Christian civilizations in the world. Even today, more than half of Ethiopians identify as Christian and are still creating religious objects similar to those done centuries ago. The Sacred Art of Ethiopia is organized to familiarize ourselves and celebrate Ethiopia’s rich artistic heritage exhibition.
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