Ethiocross Blog

Observer:- The Coptic Christian art of Ethiopia will be explored in two exhibits and lectures at Colgate University.

“Reflections of Ethiopian Orthodoxy: Coptic Crosses and Objects of Personal Devotion” includes highly ornamented, hand-held and processional crosses and priests’ armrests in brass and silver alloys, as well as pendant crosses and objects of personal devotion, such as amulets and magic scrolls made from parchment and painted with protective religious images and symbols.

A companion exhibit, “Reflections of Ethiopian Orthodoxy: Contemporary Paintings in Traditional Styles,” opening Thursday, Sept. 24, with a reception that follows a 4:30 p.m. lecture, will feature paintings on canvas, vellum (animal skins), and sculptural icons that illustrate multiple religious subjects related to Ethiopian Coptic Christianity.

These contemporary paintings, especially those with religious subjects – such as the Virgin and Child, Crucifixion or St. George – typically imitate classic Ethiopian art. Other paintings depict historical and genre scenes that include the Battle of Adwa and the participation of Emperors John and Menelik II in festivals or pilgrimages.

A lecture, “Icons of Devotion/Icons of Trade: Contemporary Religious Art of the Ethiopian Orthodox Church,” at 4:30 p.m. by Raymond Silverman, professor of history of art and Afro-American and African studies, and director of the Museum Studies Program at the University of Michigan at Ann Arbor, will examine the religious, social and economic forces that have shaped contemporary visual practices in the Ethiopian Orthodox Church.

Source:-Observer