The excitement is building as we countdown to the arrival of the International Methodist Modern Art Collection to Ballymena in May.
10 local Churches have chosen their painting to display in their Church over the weekend of Friday 22nd May – Monday 25th May, meanwhile the rest of this exciting huge collection will be on show in The Braid Arts Centre from 11th May until 18th June. Free Admission. Click here to view some pieces online at the Methodist Modern Art Collection website.
The Methodist Modern Art Collection comprises paintings, limited edition prints and reliefs. In the early 1960s John Morel Gibbs, a Methodist layman and art collector – realising that many Non-conformists had little appreciation of the insights that contemporary artists could bring to the Christian story – decided to create a collection of prime examples of such work that could be toured around the country. This he did, with the help of Methodist minister, the Rev. Douglas Wollen.
The works they acquired became the core of the present Collection – described as “the best denominational collection of modern art outside the Vatican”.
The Collection includes leading names from the British art world of the last 100 years, such as Edward Burra, Elisabeth Frink, Eric Gill, Patrick Heron and Graham Sutherland.
The Methodist Art Collection is one of national importance and continues to expand to reflect the ideas of contemporary artists. This presentation of the collection provides a fantastic opportunity to experience very high quality work up close in familiar local spaces and local Churches in partnership with Ballymena Churches Forum & The Braid Arts Centre. (Source)
This is a unique opportunity to see this wonderful collection for the first time ever shown in Northern Ireland – and only in Ballymena this week at the Braid Arts Centre.