Heavens Above: The Angels Are Coming To Sydenham Arts Festival

Tabish Khan
By Tabish Khan Last edited 129 months ago
Heavens Above: The Angels Are Coming To Sydenham Arts Festival
St Cecilia after J. W. Waterhouse, 1849-1917. Image courtesy St. Bart's church
St Cecilia after J. W. Waterhouse, 1849-1917. Image courtesy St. Bart's church
Left is fafter The Two Trinities, (c 1675-82, Bartolome Esteban Murillo at the National Gallery). Right is after the altar frontal at Truro Cathedral. Image courtesy St. Bart's church
Left is fafter The Two Trinities, (c 1675-82, Bartolome Esteban Murillo at the National Gallery). Right is after the altar frontal at Truro Cathedral. Image courtesy St. Bart's church
Archangel after Michael Guariento de Arpo, 1338-70. Image courtesy St. Bart's church
Archangel after Michael Guariento de Arpo, 1338-70. Image courtesy St. Bart's church
After Edward Burne-Jones, 1833-95. Image courtesy St. Bart's church
After Edward Burne-Jones, 1833-95. Image courtesy St. Bart's church
Blue angel after  John Melluish Strudwick, 1902 (private collection). Image courtesy St. Bart's church
Blue angel after John Melluish Strudwick, 1902 (private collection). Image courtesy St. Bart's church
The Way to the Paradise Fountain after Dieric Bouts, c 1450. Image courtesy St. Bart's church
The Way to the Paradise Fountain after Dieric Bouts, c 1450. Image courtesy St. Bart's church

Art and religion have always been closely linked. Most Renaissance paintings were of religious scenes and many were commissioned by the church, often for church altars. Angels were a common subject for paintings and contemporary artist Celia Kilner has created a set of 60 life-sized paintings of angels based on the works of masters such as Raphael, Fra Angelico, Murillo and Poussin, among others.

And where better to display them than in a church? As part of the Sydenham Arts Festival, St Bartholomew's Church will be populated with these angels in a contemporary twist on a classical layout.  The festival runs from 29 June to 14 July; on every weekend during this period, there's an artist's trail to take in all the local art in Sydenham, including this angelic church.

The artworks are part of a wider programme at the church including craft workshops, theatre performances and lectures about the role of angels in art. Click here for a full list of associated events.

Heavens Above: The Angels Are Coming! is on at St. Bartholomew's Church, Westwood Hill, SE26 6QR from 22 June to 28 July. Admission is free.

Find out about a trio of South London festivals, including Sydenham, here.

Last Updated 20 June 2013