Nigerian Madonna and Child

Please Note: All posts on this blog are intended for informational purposes only, not as an evaluation or endorsement of any artist, art form, organization or website.  If you have concerns about the accuracy of any information presented please contact the author at hmsarthistorian@gmail.com.

© Michael Harrar

Michael Harrar, artist and member of Wycliffe Bible Translators, recently produced this delightfully colorful Nigerian Madonna and Child from his home in the U.S. Until earlier this year (2018) he and his wife Beverly had been living in Nigeria where he was able to personally research much of the imagery in this painting. You can see more of his (typically more realistic) paintings at his website Artist Works Around the Globe. Two other favorites of his is this one he did earlier in 2018 for the SIL Nigeria Retreat banner, and this one of female African musicians.

Here is the artist's description for Nigerian Madonna and Child:

Nigeria is a people full of color. Every Sunday men and women dress in their finest to celebrate their Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Traditional Jewish custom is also full of color and celebration. Using vibrant African fabrics, colored pencil and acrylics, the Madonna and Child is influenced by living among the Nigerian people. A combination of traditional and modern Nigerian designs and Jewish symbols bring the past and the present together. 

Christ is for all time; the focal point where the past, present and future meet. Join together in celebrating the Lord Jesus Christ this Christmas.

African Madonna

Please Note: All posts on this blog are intended for informational purposes only, not as an evaluation or endorsement of any artist, art form, organization or website.  If you have concerns about the accuracy of any information presented please contact the author at hmsarthistorian@gmail.com.

A striking Madonna image from MUTI, a creative studio founded in 2011 and based in the city of Cape Town, South Africa.  Click on the image for a larger version.

Ghanaian Jesus

Please Note: All posts on this blog are intended for informational purposes only, not as an evaluation or endorsement of any artist, art form, organization or website.  If you have concerns about the accuracy of any information presented please contact the author at hmsarthistorian@gmail.com.

Great image of a Ghanaian Jesus from Curious Christian, though I can't find any further information about it or the artist.  Please pray for Ghana and the rest of west Africa, that the Ebola crisis will be brought under control and lives saved.  As Ghana suffers, so does Christ.

Engelbert Mveng: A Theology of Life Expressed in Art

Eighth Station of the Cross

Engelbert Mveng was born in 1930 near Yaoundé, Cameroon, to Presbyterian parents. He eventually became a Jesuit priest, as well as a historian, poet, artist, philosopher, and theologian. ArtWay.eu, a website that seeks to open up the world of the visual arts to interested Christians, writes that “Father Mveng studied the aesthetics of African arts and published his findings in numerous books and articles. ... His teaching was based on what he called the universal rules of African art. As a historian and theologian he made a great contribution to the study of African culture and history, especially in the realms of cultural and religious anthropology and iconology.”

Henna-Inspired Art in Africa

I recently met Kristin Glaze at the the Arts in Mission 2011: Training for Cross-Cultural Ministry conference in the U.K.  She is currently about half way through a two-year assignment in southern Africa, and has a BA and a MFA in art.  Kristin's team has two branches: one is media-focused, reporting on missions stories for Christians mostly in the U.S.; the other does consulting regarding the use of oral communications and creative arts for field use.