Monthly Archives: September 2011

“Angels of Swedenborg” Dance Theatre Production opens in NYC on 10/27

Posted on by
Reply

The dance theatre work “Angels of Swedenborg” created by Ping Chong in 1985, will be the opening production of the 50th anniversary season at La MaMa’s Ellen Stewart Theatre. It is a multi-media dance and theatre meditation of a man caught between material and spiritual aspirations, and is inspired by the writings of Emanuel Swedenborg.

It promises to be a “spectacular and physical production that combines dance, theatre, music, multi-media projections, eight angels, two spirits, Swedenborg himself and 600 pounds of feathers.”

For more information, check out this article from BroadwayWorld.com or visit La MaMa’s website.

The production runs from October 27-November 13, 2011 on Wednesdays-Saturdays at 7:30pm and on Sundays at 2:30pm. Tickets are $30/$25 students and seniors and can be purchased online at www.lamama.org or by calling the box office at 212-475-7710.

An Inspirational Journey

Posted on by
Reply

The Reverend Susannah Currie is the executive director of In Company with Angels, the nonprofit organization formed to take the angel windows in tour, as well as a contributor to the Foundation’s recent release, Tiffany’s Swedenborgian Angels. We sat down with her to get an insight into her experience.

LOGOS: What was it like to see the angels for the first time?

SC: When the crates were first opened in 2001, I was immediately impressed by the intricacy and complexity of the glasswork. When we shined light through them for the first time, to take pictures and make cards as an initial fundraiser, we were all struck by the depth of the colors, textures, and beauty of each window.

LOGOS: What was the condition of the angels after so long in storage? In general, what was involved in the restoration process?

SC: We all were in amazement that they had all remained intact given their forty years in storage, transport from Ohio in a trailer, and the moving done between various locations on the Temenos property once in the hands of the youth group! To begin restoration, we were graced with donations from various individual donors, the Philadelphia Ladies Aid Society, and one significant donation from Ms. Helene Tripier, who asked to remain anonymous until her death in 2011. Art Femenella and Kathy Jordan supervised the restoration work, which required dismantling and cleaning up to seven layers of glass in some places.

LOGOS: Do you have a favorite angel?

SC: Pergamos has always been my favorite angel, I think initially because I love the three-dimensional white stone that juts out from the window. As I have further studied the meanings of the letters to the angels of the churches I resonate with the call to the church of Pergamos to “do the good that they know.” It is my hope that the work of In Company with Angels is a project that fulfills that call with its mission.

LOGOS: Do you have any “wow” moments from this journey that you would like to share?

SC: Seeing the seven angels in the arrangement displayed at the [current exhibition in the] Taft Museum of Art, I felt that they were in a position very like that of the original church installation. More than at other viewings, in that moment, I felt that their beauty and power focused on the point of entry into the room, where they met each of us as we entered as both a greeting and a challenge. It was overwhelming, and I needed to sit down as my knees buckled at the sight.

LOGOS: In what ways have the angels inspired people? Are there any special stories that you know from people who have seen the angels during their travels?

SC: This is the most gratifying part of watching the In Company with Angels exhibition travel and touch people. More than one photographer has contacted us to capture their images; composers have felt music flow into them, inspired by the angels; meditation groups are forming using the images and music as a focus; craftspeople are creating merchandise to share the images with the world. The most touching comment that I remember was the written reflection from a grandmother who visited the exhibit with her granddaughter and shared that it helped them to begin to talk about heaven! Now that’s the kind of response that warms a minister’s heart!

LOGOS: How does the Foundation’s new book Tiffany’s Swedenborgian Angels tie in with the traveling exhibition?

SC: The beautiful book Tiffany’s Swedenborgian Angels gives history, context, and spiritual interpretation for those interested in the deeper story. In Company with Angels is delighted to have it travel with the exhibit and provide readers with the Swedenborgian significance that inspired their creation.

LOGOS: How was the idea for the book formed?

SC: Reverend Carla Friedrich has been using canvases of the angel images in the San Diego Church for quite a while and had been talking for a while about wanting to write about the Swedenborgian significance of the angels. When Joanna Hill joined the Swedenborg Foundation staff, and expressed a similar interest, I had the honor of introducing them to each other over lunch and they began the project’s brainstorming. I later found out that after I left, that first lunch lasted hours!

LOGOS: Where will the angels end up? Is there a plan yet for a permanent installation?

SC: The Swedenborgian Church at Temenos, which owns the windows, has no current plans beyond the traveling exhibit. In Company with Angels will continue to lease the windows for touring for the forseeable future.

Statue Dedicated to Eliza Lovell Tibbets, Subject of our New Fall Book

Posted on by
Reply

In 1873, while living in Riverside, California, Eliza Lovell Tibbets nourished and grew the very first naval orange trees planted in American soil. These trees eventually lead to the growth of all navel oranges produced in America to this day.

A bronze statue honoring Eliza and her great contribution to the California citrus industry was unveiled in Riverside, California, Friday August 5. The dedication of the statue occurred on what would have been Eliza’s 188th birthday. Watch a video of the unveiling here! The video really gives you a sense of the size and excitement of the crowd on this lovely evening. Read more about the creation of the statue and about Eliza here and here.

It took local artist Guy Wilson 3 years to create the 10 foot statue entitled “Sowers Dream.” He wanted to capture all of Eliza’s accomplishments as a women’s suffragist, abolitionist, medium and human rights figure. Her billowing dress, peaceful expression and outstretched arms illustrate her dynamic life. According to Wilson:

“I wanted to make a connection between these two trees that she took care of and the symbolism of her life and the causes she worked toward. I took that idea, and the idea of a gardener and someone who nurtures things, and tried to present her life’s accomplishments. It has a title of ‘Sowers Dream’ because of the idea of sowing something, to plant seeds and nurture something that grows.”

Rev. Carla Friedrich, pastor of Swedenborgian Church & Hall in San Diego, California, was present at the unveiling and shares her impressions of the event:

The Riverside event was spectacular. The evening was beautifully
cool, there was a big crowd, and everyone was friendly, and
the speech brought several people to tears.

To learn more about Eliza Lovell Tibbets, check out our new fall title:

Creating an Orange Utopia: Eliza Lovell Tibbets and the Birth of California’s Citrus Industry Patricia Ortlieb and Peter Economy

Check out these great images of the statue (click to enlarge)! Breathtaking!

Book of Revelation Talk with Dr. Jim Lawrence

Posted on by
Reply

Book of Revelation: End of the Bible and End of the World?
A Talk by Rev. Dr. Jim Lawrence
Friday, September 16, 2011
Refreshments at 7:00 PM, Program at 7:30 PM
Admission: Suggested Donation $8 Adults, $6 Seniors/Students, Members Free.Unknown

Dr. Jim Lawrence will speak on the topic of the tremendous rise in interest in the Bible’s Book of Revelation that took place during 18th-century philosopher and theologian Emanuel Swedenborg’s time period, and on Swedenborg’s approach to the enigmatic book at the end of the Judeo-Christian canon. Professor Lawrence will also reference the paintings of Swedenborgian artist G. Roland Smith, on exhibit at Glencairn Museum until Saturday, November 12th. The exhibition is titled, “The Apocalypse of John: Twenty-Five Paintings by G. Roland Smith.” At the conclusion of this lecture the audience is invited to meet Jim and continue to visit over the light refreshments.
Dr. Lawrence
Rev. Dr. James Lawrence teaches in the fields of Christian spirituality, the history of Christianity, and Swedenborgian studies at the Pacific School of Religion of the Graduate Theological Union in Berkeley, where he is also the Dean of the Swedenborgian House of Studies. His research interest areas include the history of biblical interpretation, and Jim is also a Ph.D. candidate in Christian spirituality at the GTU.

For more information about this and other Glencairn programs, sign up for Glencairn’s monthly e-newsletter! Send your name and email address to info@glencairnmuseum.org today.