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arts CHURCH TIMES 19 October 2012 27 Hermit meets a killer God hangs a tombstone out Fallen angel: Amanda Lawrence as the Devil and Sebastian Armesto as Paulo in Molina’s Damned by Despair at the National Theatre in London IN THE wilderness, an angel speaks to a hermit, and tells him: if you want to know what your fate will be, whether your soul is to be saved or damned, go to Naples and find a man called Enrico. His fate will be yours. Off goes Paulo, the hermit, with his sidekick, Pedrisco, in the hope that this Enrico will turn out to be a sure-fire saint. He turns out to be a killer, a blasphemer, and a thief leading a gang of thieves. For Paulo, this is, of course, a test, and the angel was in fact the Devil in disguise; in any case, the hermit does not take the news well. His years of prayer and self-denial were a waste of time, he decides. He might as well be as bad as Enrico is. First published in Madrid in 1635, El Condenado por Desconfiado by the monk Tirso de Molina, a typically prolific contributor to the Spanish Golden Age theatre, is now playing at the National Theatre as Damned by Despair, in an adaptation by Frank McGuinness. The language is colourful, and the allusions are often playfully con- temporary, enhanced with gallows- humour twists on proverbial wisdom (“A fool and his soul are soon parted”). Everything takes place against the three-pronged sky of Giles Cadle’s set, through which the clouds, the stars, and the moods of heaven are seen, swelling overhead. But, while the opening scenes in the wilderness have a Baroque, chiaroscuro look, in which Sebastian Armesto’s robed and bearded Paulo seems most at home, the ensuing action in Naples is turned out in contemporary dress: a moped rounds the Olivier stage, and guns are drawn, as well as daggers. Amanda Lawrence’s corvine, glint- eyed Devil is here, too. A glimpse of her leads to a massacre and a manhunt. The crucial complication of the play is that Enrico is as bad as he seems, but with a purpose: he will go without food and money himself to support his wheelchair-bound father, Albano, who knows nothing about his son’s life of crime. The first time we see them on stage at the same time, the father is dozing under a warm light; Enrico is out in the cold. The director, Bijan Sheibani, seems, if in doubt, to have preferred such bold to subtle effects, which seem to be partly responsible for Damned by Despair’s receiving some hostile reviews. But Baroque drama encourages precisely these larger- than-life, operatic rather than realistic, effects. If Sheibani is licensed by the script to send one man to heaven, maybe, and another to hell, and actually show it, he can be allowed a little slow motion, as a score of pulsing, deep bass tones, courtesy of Finn Ross, works its own brutal magic. Despite Paulo’s dilemma, it is Enrico’s story that rapidly becomes the more interesting of the two. Bertie Carvel manages the difficult trick of making the audience believe in this principled monster, who is both dead-eyed killer (much of the violence is added by Sheibani and McGuinness, expanding on the original design) and devoted son (“I do my damnedest for you”). There are other good turns in a 20-strong supporting cast, including Rory Keenan as Pedrisco, Pierce Reid as the unlucky Octavio, and Leanne Best (not long after performing in The Match Box, McGuinness’s monologue about the death of a child, in Liverpool) as Celia, Enrico’s vain, versifying squeeze, who is not ashamed to suggest that her own kiss is like “tasting God”. Neither Tirso nor McGuinness tells us what is going to happen to her, but I think we can guess. At the National Theatre (Olivier), South Bank, London SE1, until 17 December. Phone 020 7452 3400 (ticket information: 020 7452 3000). www.nationaltheatre.org.uk Michael Caines sees a Molina play revived BRINKHOFF/MOEGENBURG FRIEZE ART is an international trade fair for dealers in the con- temporary arts which has spread from New York to London. This year marks its tenth anniversary. For the first time, Frieze also exhibited Old Masters at Frieze Masters, 15 minutes’ walk north of the Frieze Art pavilion in Regent’s Park. The juxtaposition of the old and the new is not itself a novelty. Galleries such as Robilant & Voena often exhibit both; David LaChapelle, Morandi, Foppa, and Luini are all comfortable bedfellows. Museums too often showcase works from their own collection alongside contemporary artists; last year, at Cy Twombly’s death, an exhibition of his paintings illuminated the Dulwich Picture Gallery, as had Lucian Freud in 1994 and, more recently, Howard Hodgkin (2001). In 2004, Freud and Frans Hals stood shoulder to shoulder in the Wallace Collection. Perhaps the most staggering exhibition in London at the moment is one at Ordovas, in which Lucian Freud (d. 2011) is seen through the penetrating gaze of Annibale Carracci (1560-1609). Dr Xavier Bray has imaginatively chosen three portraits from the 1590s to converse with five of Freud’s portrait heads. Pivotal to this is an oil sketch of a crabbed woman which the Bolognese master painted on the back of a laundry list (Daniel Katz), and which he kept in his studio as one of a number of studies that informed his own painting and his pupils. Here it introduces three portraits that Freud painted of his mother in 1972. Piercing eyes, well- gnarled skin, and a confidence greet us at head height. On the neighbouring wall, John Deakin, Frank Auerbach, and the Italian’s grizzled old men claim our attention. No wonder Freud wished that he could paint like this. The law of unintended con- sequences may well be that the bubble that is contemporary art is finally pricked; how ludicrous that collectors spend ten times or more for a piece of fabricated work of art, often a multiple copy, than for a significant work by a well- established Old Master. Visiting Frieze Masters before seeing Frieze London brilliantly underscored how so often the emperor is naked. This dialogue between the old and new, and the effects of inspira- tion and indebtedness, is welcome, but it somehow makes for some- thing of a contradiction when the impoverished, self-taught American artist William Edmondson (1874- 1951) can find a niche here along- side the extraordinary Italian artist Carlo Zinelli (1916-74), who went to fight, as so many artists of his generation did, in the Spanish Civil War, despite being a schizo- phrenic, and who returned unable to speak. Both are “outsiders”, a term that James Brett, the director of The Museum of Everything, who brought these two artists to Frieze Masters, rightly chastises me for using, as it is bigoted. Both artists stand in judgement on the commercial, success-orientated world of contemporary art, and the way in which we choose to write the history of art. Brett himself comes from a background in the film industry, and seemingly is a busy man, too preoccupied to keep various appointments with me for planned interviews and then hoping to re- arrange my timetable at his own convenience. Pity. At least at Frieze Masters I got to meet John Ollman, who is an authority on Edmondson, and who had planned this show of 11 primitive limestone works. Edmondson came from an impoverished family of former slaves, and was born in rural Tennessee in the 1870s. There is no surviving evidence of when he was born, as the family Bible was lost in a fire. We know, however, that he moved to Nashville proper with his family at the age of 16, working for railroad and sewage companies, on building sites and as a hospital Self-taught sculptor: Angel (left) and Adam and Eve (below) by William Edmondson, shown by The Museum of Everything at Frieze Masters in London last weekend Nicholas Cranfield sees sculptures by William Edmondson Continued on page 30
Transcript of 7805_27:Basic page text area.qxd.qxd
arts
CHURCH TIMES 19 October 2012 27
Hermit meets a killer
God hangs a tombstone out
Fallen angel: Amanda Lawrence as the Devil and Sebastian Armesto as Pauloin Molina’s Damned by Despair at the National Theatre in London
IN THE wilderness, an angel speaksto a hermit, and tells him: if youwant to know what your fate will be,whether your soul is to be saved ordamned, go to Naples and find a mancalled Enrico. His fate will be yours.
Off goes Paulo, the hermit, withhis sidekick, Pedrisco, in the hopethat this Enrico will turn out to be asure-fire saint. He turns out to be akiller, a blasphemer, and a thiefleading a gang of thieves. For Paulo,this is, of course, a test, and the angelwas in fact the Devil in disguise; inany case, the hermit does not take thenews well. His years of prayer andself-denial were a waste of time, hedecides. He might as well be as bad asEnrico is.
First published in Madrid in 1635,El Condenado por Desconfiado bythe monk Tirso de Molina, atypically prolific contributor to theSpanish Golden Age theatre, is nowplaying at the National Theatre asDamned by Despair, in anadaptation by Frank McGuinness.
The language is colourful, and theallusions are often playfully con -temporary, enhanced with gallows-humour twists on proverbialwisdom (“A fool and his soul are
soon parted”). Everything takesplace against the three-pronged skyof Giles Cadle’s set, through whichthe clouds, the stars, and the moodsof heaven are seen, swellingoverhead.
But, while the opening scenes inthe wilderness have a Baroque,chiaroscuro look, in which SebastianArmesto’s robed and bearded Pauloseems most at home, the ensuingaction in Naples is turned out incontemporary dress: a mopedrounds the Olivier stage, and gunsare drawn, as well as daggers.Amanda Lawrence’s corvine, glint-eyed Devil is here, too. A glimpse ofher leads to a massacre and amanhunt.
The crucial complication of theplay is that Enrico is as bad as heseems, but with a purpose: he will gowithout food and money himself tosupport his wheelchair-boundfather, Albano, who knows nothingabout his son’s life of crime. The firsttime we see them on stage at thesame time, the father is dozing undera warm light; Enrico is out in thecold.
The director, Bijan Sheibani,seems, if in doubt, to have preferredsuch bold to subtle effects, whichseem to be partly responsible forDamned by Despair’s receiving somehostile reviews. But Baroque dramaencourages precisely these larger-than-life, operatic rather thanrealistic, effects. If Sheibani is
licensed by the script to send oneman to heaven, maybe, and anotherto hell, and actually show it, he canbe allowed a little slow motion, as ascore of pulsing, deep bass tones,courtesy of Finn Ross, works its ownbrutal magic.
Despite Paulo’s dilemma, it isEnrico’s story that rapidly becomesthe more interesting of the two.Bertie Carvel manages the difficulttrick of making the audience believein this principled monster, who isboth dead-eyed killer (much of theviolence is added by Sheibani andMcGuinness, expanding on theoriginal design) and devoted son (“Ido my damnedest for you”).
There are other good turns in a20-strong supporting cast, includingRory Keenan as Pedrisco, PierceReid as the unlucky Octavio, andLeanne Best (not long afterperforming in The Match Box,McGuinness’s monologue about thedeath of a child, in Liverpool) asCelia, Enrico’s vain, versifyingsqueeze, who is not ashamed tosuggest that her own kiss is like“tasting God”. Neither Tirso norMcGuinness tells us what is going tohappen to her, but I think we canguess.
At the National Theatre (Olivier),South Bank, London SE1, until 17December. Phone 020 7452 3400(ticket information: 020 7452 3000).www.nationaltheatre.org.uk
Michael Caines sees aMolina play revived
BRINKHOFF/MOEGENBURG
FRIEZE ART is an internationaltrade fair for dealers in the con -temporary arts which has spreadfrom New York to London. Thisyear marks its tenth anniversary. Forthe first time, Frieze also exhibitedOld Masters at Frieze Masters, 15minutes’ walk north of the FriezeArt pavilion in Regent’s Park.
The juxtaposition of the old andthe new is not itself a novelty.Galleries such as Robilant & Voenaoften exhibit both; DavidLaChapelle, Morandi, Foppa, andLuini are all comfortable bedfellows.Museums too often showcase worksfrom their own collection alongsidecontemporary artists; last year, at CyTwombly’s death, an exhibition ofhis paintings illuminated theDulwich Picture Gallery, as hadLucian Freud in 1994 and, morerecently, Howard Hodgkin (2001).In 2004, Freud and Frans Hals stoodshoulder to shoulder in the WallaceCollection.
Perhaps the most staggeringexhibition in London at themoment is one at Ordovas, in whichLucian Freud (d. 2011) is seenthrough the penetrating gaze ofAnnibale Carracci (1560-1609). DrXavier Bray has imaginativelychosen three portraits from the1590s to converse with five of Freud’sportrait heads.
Pivotal to this is an oil sketch of acrabbed woman which theBolognese master painted on theback of a laundry list (Daniel Katz),and which he kept in his studio as
one of a number of studies thatinformed his own painting and hispupils. Here it introduces threeportraits that Freud painted of hismother in 1972. Piercing eyes, well-gnarled skin, and a confidence greetus at head height.
On the neighbouring wall, JohnDeakin, Frank Auerbach, and theItalian’s grizzled old men claim ourattention. No wonder Freud wishedthat he could paint like this.
The law of unintended con -sequences may well be that thebubble that is contemporary art isfinally pricked; how ludicrous thatcollectors spend ten times or morefor a piece of fabricated work of art,often a multiple copy, than for asignificant work by a well-established Old Master. VisitingFrieze Masters before seeing FriezeLondon brilliantly underscored howso often the emperor is naked.
This dialogue between the oldand new, and the effects of inspira -tion and indebtedness, is welcome,but it somehow makes for some -thing of a contradiction when theimpoverished, self-taught Americanartist William Edmondson (1874-1951) can find a niche here along -side the extraordinary Italian artistCarlo Zinelli (1916-74), who wentto fight, as so many artists of hisgeneration did, in the SpanishCivil War, despite being a schizo -phrenic, and who returned unableto speak.
Both are “outsiders”, a term thatJames Brett, the director of TheMuseum of Everything, whobrought these two artists to FriezeMasters, rightly chastises me forusing, as it is bigoted. Both artistsstand in judgement on thecommercial, success-orientatedworld of contemporary art, and theway in which we choose to write thehistory of art.
Brett himself comes from abackground in the film industry,and seemingly is a busy man, toopreoccupied to keep variousappointments with me for plannedinterviews and then hoping to re-arrange my timetable at his ownconvenience. Pity. At least at FriezeMasters I got to meet John Ollman,who is an authority on Edmondson,and who had planned this show of11 primitive limestone works.
Edmondson came from animpoverished family of formerslaves, and was born in ruralTennessee in the 1870s. There is nosurviving evidence of when he wasborn, as the family Bible was lost ina fire. We know, however, that hemoved to Nashville proper with hisfamily at the age of 16, working forrailroad and sewage companies, onbuilding sites and as a hospital
Self-taught sculptor: Angel (left) and Adam
and Eve (below) by William Edmondson,
shown by The Museum of
Every thing at Frieze Masters in London
last weekend
Nicholas Cranfieldsees sculptures byWilliam Edmondson
Continued on page 30
30 CHURCH TIMES 19 October 2012
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deaths
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Canon David Lickess writes:FOR more than 60 years, the RevdPaul Carter (right), who died on 28Septem ber, aged 90, was a priest inYork shire, serving parishes in twodio ceses, and on the General Synod.He died at home in West Tanfield,the village near Ripon to which heand his wife had retired in 1987.
Paul had grown up at ReptonSchool, where his father, also a priest,taught. During the Second WorldWar, he served in the RAF in NorthAfrica, used his talents as a pianistand writer of songs to form a concertparty, and accepted Jesus as hispersonal Saviour. After studies atKing’s College, London, and War -
minster, he was ordained priest inYork Minster in 1951, by the greatArchbishop Cyril Garbett.
His first curacy was in Scar -borough, where the vicar he expec -ted to train him had just left becauseof ill health. He then served at Pock -ling ton, and married Shirley, a youngwoman whom he had met on anSCM summer course. They had twochil dren, and their marriage re -mained strong through 59 years.
In 1955, he was appointed vicar ofa large inner-city parish in Hull,where he had about 100 baptisms,100 weddings, and 100 funerals ayear, for all of which he made at leastthree home visits, an example of
pastoral care from which some oftoday’s clergy could learn.
He moved in 1960 to Ripondiocese, to be Vicar of AinderbySteeple, near Northallerton, wherehe served six villages for 27 years,and a church school, and used hislarge record collection to give
musical evenings. Parishioners muchvalued his Bible-based sermons,gentle manner, and patience.
In 1970, he was elected to the thennew General Synod, where he servedfor 17 years, and keenly supportedthe ordination of women to thepriesthood. He was later made anHon. Canon of Ripon Cathedral, andretired in 1987, but continued to takeservices, and to give record concerts.
Preaching on the 50th anniver -sary of his ordination, he said thatbeing a priest was a great treasureand awesome responsibility, and thatthe heart of the Christian faith wasnot a set of rules to be obeyed, but apersonal relationship with Jesus,based on love — the love of an un -changing God in a changing world.
He will be remembered as afaithful priest and good friend, whoquietly got on with parish ministry,was conscientious in pastoral care,and drew people to Christ.
BAISLEY. The Revd George Baisley,Hon. Priest-in-Charge of NorthOckendon (Chelmsford): 18 Novem-ber.BLAGDEN. The Revd Susan Blag -den, Rector of Bangor Monachorum,Worthenbury and Marchwiel (Ban -gor): 30 November.DELVE. The Revd Eric Delve, Vicarof St Luke’s, Maidstone, and SixPreacher of Canterbury Cathedral(Canterbury): 31 December.FAGERSON. The Revd JosephFagerson, Hon. Assistant Curate of StFillan’s, Killin (St Andrews, Dunkeld& Dunblane).FENTON. The Revd Heather Fenton,Area Dean of Penllyn and Edeyr -nion: 30 November, remaining Dio -cesan Rural Life Adviser (Bangor).GARLAND. The Revd Dr Chris -topher Garland, Rector of Copfordwith Easthorpe and Messing withInworth (Chelmsford): 31 October.ISKANDER. The Revd SusanIskander, NSM of Writtle withHighwood (Chelmsford).JAUNDRILL. The Revd WarwickJaundrill, Team Vicar in the RhosCystennin Rectorial Benefice (Ban -gor): 30 November.WILKINSON. The Revd MaryWilkinson, NSM of Llandrillo andLlandderfel (Bangor): 26 October.
CARTER. — On 28 September, theRevd Paul Brian Carter: Vicar ofNewington (1955-60); AinderbySteeple with Scruton (1960-79);Priest-in-Charge of Yafforth (1976-79); Rector of Ainderby Steeple withYafforth and Scruton (1979-87);Hon. Canon of Ripon Cathedral(1986-87); Canon Emeritus since1987; aged 90.FAULL. — On 8 October, the VeryRevd Cecil Albert Faull: Hon.Clerical Vicar of Christ ChurchCathedral, Dublin (1958-63); Assist -ant Curate of Dun Laoghaire (1959-63); Rector of Portarlington Union(1963-71); St George and St Thomas,Dublin (1971-81); Clondalkin withRathcoole (1981-91); Canon ofChrist Church Cathedral, Dublin(1990-91); Rector of Dunleckneywith Nurney, Lorum and Kiltennel(1991-96); Dean of St Laserian’sCathedral, Leighlin (1991-96);Priest-in-Charge of Leighlin withGrange Sylvae, Shankill, Clonagooseand Gowran (1991-96); aged 82.LEADBEATER. — On 4 October,the Revd Nicolas James Leadbeater:Perpetual Curate of Moreton Valencewith Whitminster (1955-67); Rectorof Westcote and Curate-in-Charge ofIcomb (1967-72); Rector of Westcotewith Icomb (1972-79); Westcotewith Icomb and Bledington (1979-88); Hon. Canon of GloucesterCathedral (1983-88); Canon Emer -itus since 1988; aged 91.PENMAN. — On 6 October, theRevd Margaret Heather Penman:Head Teacher of Hesketh withBeccon sall C of E School (1985-2000); NSM of Lostock Hall (1993-95); St James’s, Leyland, since 1995;Liverpool Diocesan RE/SchoolsAdviser (2000-09); aged 62.SIRMAN. — On 30 September, theRevd Allan George Sirman: Rector ofSt Mary’s, Chadwell (1965-75); Vicarof All Saints with Holy Trinity,Wandsworth (1975-95); aged 78.WALTERS. — On 10 October, theRevd Leslie Ernest Ward Walters:Vicar of Felbridge (1961-68); Im -manuel with St Anselm, Streatham(1968-81); Hon. Chaplain to theBishop of Southwark (1967-80);Vicar of Cotmanhay and Shipley(1981-92); Chaplain of IlkestonGeneral Hospital (1981-88); IlkestonCommunity Hospital (1988-92); 84.
janitor. He later became a piousmember of the United PrimitiveBaptist Church.
In the Great Depression, he losthis hospital post, and, shortlyafterwards, when he was in his 50s,he had a heavenly vision in which hewas instructed to pick up his toolsand start to work on a tombstone. “Ilooked up in the sky and right therein the noon daylight, He hung atombstone out for me to make.”
Soon his back yard was litteredwith large-scale monumentalcarvings hacked out of limestonechunks often from masonry yardsand demolished buildings. For achisel, he is said to have used a spikefrom a metal rail. Many of his workswere intended as tomb markers inthe local African American cemeteryat Mount Ararat, TN, whereEdmondson himself lies buried in anunmarked grave since 1951.
In 1935, Edmondson’s workcaught the attention of an artprofessor, Stefan Hirsh, whohappened to be walking in theneighbourhood. He was oncephotographed by Louise Dahl-Wolfe(who later bought The Caped Angelon show here), and his reputationspread rapidly. MOMA in New Yorkin 1937 accorded him the first solo
exhibition of an African American,showing a dozen sculptures.
A substantial retrospective washeld in 1981 at the Tennessee StateMuseum, and most recently theCheekwood Gallery in Nashvillecelebrated his work in 2011. ButAmerican museums have largelyignored this autodidact, althoughOllman is planning his inclusion in anew exhibition next spring inPhiladelphia at PMA, and there arecollections of his work in Newark,NJ, and Milwaukee, WI.
Besides biblical scenes,Edmondson obsessively carvedangels and crucifixions, as well assquirrels and horses. All creaturesgreat and small found a voice in hisart until illness forced him to stopwork shortly after the Second WorldWar.
Here the simply hewn little figuresof doves, a turtle, a lamb, and a ramoffer a comfortable, almost childlikeapproach to Nature, as if the phyla ofanimals and varmints are headed forsome distant and unseen ark. Twodoves sit on a branch no more than ahand’s breadth, pecking identically.Seeing three of them side by side inanother piece reminded me of awooden toy I had in the 1960s thatcame from the Soviet Union.
In founding the Museum, thedirector, James Brett, is clear that thenew venture of the gallery (since2009) is to bring together theuntrained and marginalised.Edmondson fits happily into that
spectrum, and might almost be thepatron saint for such a collection, ashe virtually is in Philadelphia PA,where there is a Foundation for Self-Taught Artists.
I left the gallery stand feeling lightof step, and returned from the naïfto the more familiar world of GuidoReni (Adam Williams in New Yorkhas a panel of two dancing fauns,
one of four commissioned byHenrietta Maria in 1637 for herbedroom ceiling in Greenwich,which the Queen really should buyback), Ribera’s painting of Aristotleas if a contemporary hidalgo (Coll &Cortés), Zurbarán’s St Francis inMeditation (with Caylus), andancient Minoan artefacts (RupertWace) on display elsewhere.
But, on reflection, I wasunderwhelmed by the claims madefor Edmondson; the trulyremarkable autodidact I found to bein the work of a former farm-boy,Mark Evans, whose show “FuriousAffection” (Hus Gallery) was stagedthree minutes’ walk from Regent’sPark in the former church of HolyTrinity, Marylebone.
He had scraped and etched theimage of a shark’s jaw on to ninetanned hides of coloured leather,which were hung around thedarkened walls of the church and inthe former sanctuary to startlingeffect. Elsewhere (upstairs) he hadtackled the subject of Greed andmoney, dismembering carvings ofdollar bills on to other familiarAmerican idols. With disclosed pricetags of up to £300,000, no wonderthe youthful artist in leather jacketand cap looked more like a wealthyfarmer.
“Painting from Life: Carracci Freud”is at Ordovas, 25 Savile Row, LondonW15, until 15 December. Phone 0207287 5013. www.ordovasart.com
TombstoneContinued from page 27
obituary
CANON PAUL BRIAN CARTER
Naïf style: Woman in a Bow Dress byWilliam Edmondson
