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Exhibition:
The Black Madonna

September 10 - October 19, 2007
James Memorial Chapel

A new exhibition in James Chapel at Union Theological Seminary, opening September 10, 2007, explores the syncretic depictions of the iconic Black Madonna. Long recognized as a symbol of transformation and change, the Black Madonna is often viewed as our Earth Goddess and Universal Mother Image. Portrayals of the Madonna and Child as dark-skinned embody power, beauty and mystery.

This exhibition is composed of eighteen works by twelve artists who represent a wide range of ethnic backgrounds, female and male perspectives, and the trained and self-taught traditions. The exhibition's wide range of works presents an opportunity to explore the complex inter-religious and intercultural themes surrounding this seminal image of a woman and child of color.

An opening night reception will be held in James Chapel on Tuesday, October 2, 2007, 5:00-8:00 p.m. At the reception the curator and contributing artists will be introduced and will make introductory remarks about their respective works. The exibit is on view in James Chapel through October 19.

Read more about the artists and curator.

The Exhibition

For those familiar with "The Black Madonna," the mention of her name brings to mind venerable works of art located at three great pilgrimage sites, namely the medieval sculpture at Our Lady of Montserrat Monastery and the Shrine in Montserrat, Spain, the wooden carving of Our Lady of Tindari located in the small town of her namesake, Tindari, Sicily and the pre-14th century icon at the Jasna Góra Monastery in Czestochowa, Poland. But in fact, there are actually hundreds of examples of Black Madonnas that still exist today in various locations throughout the world. Most of them can be found in churches, chapels and sanctuaries, while others are located in museums, libraries and private collections. Many have miraculously survived centuries of war and have been relocated to escape inevitable destruction. Long recognized as a symbol of transformation and change, the Black Madonna is often viewed as our Earth Goddess and Universal Mother Image. Portrayals of the Madonna and Child as dark-skinned embody power, beauty and mystery. What inspired artists so long ago to create these striking icons? What purpose did they serve in communities around the world? In what ways do these icons today encourage artists to express their spirituality?

In Christianity in general, but especially in churches with large African-American congregations as well as in churches following a Pentecostal tradition (increasingly influential among immigrant populations in the United States), the Black Madonna and Child are objects of great reverence because they are received as embodying experiences of suffering and survival within the context of a love both divine and human. This exhibition combines both the historic aspect of this momentous figure with modern-day renditions from a multiethnic roster of twelve artists -- male and female, established and emerging -- who each contributed their own personal connections to this Universal Mother. Interestingly, these portrayals of “Black Madonnas,” created to give a voice to contemporary experiences of suffering, strength, and love, also share resonances with other revered female figures from long-established non-Christian religious traditions, including the Goddess Isis in the Egyptian panoply, Tara in Tibetan Buddhism, Kuan Yin in the Buddhist traditions of Japan and China, and the warrior goddess Durga and Kali in Hinduism. There is also a strong religious folk tradition connecting The Black Madonna to the medieval Knights Templar, as well as the Cult of Mary Magdalene. In Southern Provencal tradition, the Black Madonna is associated with Saint Sara, the patron saint of the Gypsies, who was said to be the black assistant who accompanied the three Marys to France when they fled from the Holy Land after the Crucifixion.

Because these distinctive images of mother and child embody and reverberate with the deeply felt experiences of people of color that cut across religions, cultures and time, the Union Theological Seminary in the City of New York, whose mission is to educate men and women for ministries and service in contemporary society while studying the great issues of our time, wishes to bring them to the attention of the college community and surrounding congregations that embrace a variety of religious traditions in this part of New York City.

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Independence Day

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Independence Day
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Manhattanhenge

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