September 2018: Oblique strategies
There was a photography exhibition hanging in St Mary's church, put together by the Ealing London Independent Photography group which has a couple of Grace members as part of the group. The exhibition was part of BEAT - the Borough of Ealing Art Trail. It was called Oblique Strategies, inspired by Brian Eno's cards of that name - each photographer was given a card at random and the photos were a response to that. The text of the Oblique Strategies card was displayed with the photo it had inspired. Grace interacted with the photos and explored a couple of spiritual practices using photography.
Below is the flyer for the exhibition.
Order of service
Opening prayer
Intro
Framing the evening - photography and spirituality. Explain exhibition theme.
Exhibition
Go and have a look at the photos
Visio divina
look at one photo that speaks to you, meditate on it, talk to someone nearby about it, contemplate
Imaginative reading with a photographer’s eye
Mark 7:24-30
If you had been present, what would you have photographed? explain
Give me eyes to see like a photographer
Quotes from the book 'Thomas Merton: A Master of Attention' by R Waldron regarding Merton's photography. Waldron says that if you had to sum up Merton's writing on spirituality in one theme it would be 'learning to see' and comments:
'To become a contemplative one must develop the spiritual eye of attention and what in modern life symbolises more fully and exactly what the life of a contemplative life entails than the camera.'
'Solitude and silence are the sine qua non of being a contemplative. In fact a photographer is a contemplative in his/her own right: he/she too must become a master of attention'
the congregation were asked to write a verse of a prayer using the phrase 'give me eyes to see like a photographer'. here are a selection:
give me eyes to see like a photographer
frame my view on where i should look
focus on what is important
reveal what is needed for others to see
hold that moment
give me eyes to see like a photographer
that the whole world is shining
to notice how your light falls
give me eyes to see like a photographer
to reveal the story behind the image
when i am angry
or tired
or too close to see clearly
overcommitted
under informed
superficial
obsessive
give me eyes to see like a photographer
give me eyes to see like a photographer
that beauty is in the ordinary and everyday
not in a quest to capture the perfect sunset
give me eyes to see like a photographer
that the world is broken in grief
longing for healing
give me eyes to see like a photographer
to see the true subject of importance
to use light, framing and depth of field to bring the focus it deserves
give me eyes to see like a photographer
capturing the whole scene
the margins and the centre
and not just the parts that grab my fickle attention
give me eyes to see like a photographer
to find the story behind the scene
the pain behind the eyes
the vision beyond the frame
give me eyes to see like a photographer
that all is gift
and you are the one who draws with light
prayer
give me eyes to see like a photographer
that the whole world is shining
to notice how your light falls
give me eyes to see like a photographer
that beauty is in the ordinary and everyday
not in a quest to capture the perfect sunset
give me eyes to see like a photographer
that the world is broken in grief
longing for healing
give me eyes to see like a photographer
that all is gift
and you are the one who draws with light
amen
open the shutter of my heart to let the light in
bring out your image in me like film in the dark room
hold me steady like a tripod with my aperture wide
give me a neutral density filter so i can have a long exposure to your love
help me learn to see
amen
oblique strategies
cards and new year
Blessing for new year
O donahue bennacht