Art Collection at
Art at Catholic Theological Union
The Mary-Frances and Bill Veeck Gallery at CTU exhibits work of artists from as close as Chicago to as far away as Australia. The purpose of the gallery’s curated exhibits is twofold: “to nurture an appreciation for and understanding of art, and to communicate truth through the senses and emotions.”
Why is additional artwork on public display elsewhere at CTU – in hallways, classrooms, and library? There are many reasons: to enliven an otherwise stark environment, to the honor these gifts from donors, including CTU faculty and staff, and to show samples of artworks by our students. There is another important reason as well. The purpose of displaying this additional artwork is not that of an art museum or professional art gallery, but rather the unique gift art offers to faculty and students in a school of theology and ministry. Such schools naturally gravitate toward text-oriented understanding, toward verbal and conceptual communication. Nonverbal “languages” such as art, music, dance, and ritual are able to reveal and communicate what is beyond the power of words alone. Even when art communicates identifiable content, it gives expression to a deeper insight into what it depicts, engaging the senses, emotions, and imagination though interplay of image, color, form. By engaging the vision and imagination of both the artist and the viewer, art invites a mutual dialogue between their personal experiences and cultures. Art encountered day after day in a school of theology and ministry, whether in passing by or in a moment of focused attention and reflection, cannot help but enrich and deepen the learning and communication that happens there. This guide invites you to visit some of those other artworks on display throughout CTU, to stop and spend a little time with them. You are encouraged to first “read” and reflect on them, and only then to read the accompanying description as an aid to yet further reflection. The Art and Environment Committee Gil Ostdiek, OFM, Chair
FIRST FLOOR Foyer
Ezechiele Ramin, MCCJ, born in Italy, earned
Salvatore Carzedda, PIME, born in Italy,
the MDiv at CTU. Missioned to Brazil,
received the DMin from CTU. Missioned
he worked for a peaceful remedy of the
to the Philippines, he worked tirelessly for
injustices which rich land owners inflicted
dialogue and peace between Christians and
on impoverished tenant farmers. Returning
Muslims at the Silsilah Dialogue Center in
home from a meeting with the farmers in
Mindanao. Returning from a conference
1982 to keep them from armed rebellion, he
there in 1995, he was ambushed and shot.
was riddled by bullets, a martyr for peace
Though perpetrators were never identified,
and justice. His cause for beatification is
he probably died because of his work in the
now underway.
Center, a martyr for dialogue and peace.
Ezechiele Ramin, MCCJ
Salvatore Carzedda, PIME
Robert Lentz, OFM
Marcelo Lavallen
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John Ssenyondo, MCCJ, from Uganda, earned a CTU M.Div. and was missioned to one of Mexico’s poorest areas. He refused to pay extortion to drug lords, denounced the drug cartel in homilies, and may have refused to baptize a drug lord’s daughter. He was abducted returning from celebrating a wedding in 2014. His body was later found in a mass grave. He is considered a victim of the drug culture he denounced.
John Ssenyondo, MCCJ Marcelo Lavallen icon
SECOND FLOOR
light … darkness … movement … up … down … what do you see …
Webbed Together Spanning the Night P. Allnutt charcoal on canvas, 2002 gift of the artist
a table set with rich serving of symbols what can you decipher? what do they say about that meal? about those at table? about that table today? about who sits at the table today? about food for the journey?
The Last Supper Norman Laliberte oil on canvas gift of Jerome & Dolores Freeze
SECOND FLOOR pre-function gathering area
Photomosaic® is a modern version of mosaics in which small pieces are joined to make an image when viewed from a distance. Karl Rahner has written that only in Jesus did God’s Word become flesh. But that means, Rahner says, that any human could have become the Incarnation. To be human is to be “the grammar of a potential self-utterance of God.” We are not the Word Incarnate, but as his disciples we can each be a small word of God, like the pieces in this image, together forming for our world a mosaic of the One who is truly the Word of God.
The Word Became Flesh Robert Silvers Photomosaic, 2000 gift of Sheila and Robert Hulseman
Four Evengelists stained glass from Holy Cross Church, Cincinnati, OH
Restored by Richard H. Driehaus gift of the Congragetion of the Passionists
THIRD FLOOR
San Damiano-shaped cross, in the tradition of crosses painted with life scenes. Today’s burdens in need of refreshment
Contemporary Cross Jeffrey Haller, OFM, Class of 1991 pastel chalk gift of the artist
Birds are a recurring theme in the work of Braque (†1963), known as co-founder of cubism with Picasso. Braque often used the symbolism of birds and it became iconic and archetypal in his later work. In the aftermath of World War II, a dark period for Braque, the bird became a symbol of peace and hope for him. What symbolic images might we use to resurrect peace & hope in our dark times?
The Resurrection of the Bird Georges Braque lithograph (192/300) gift of Tom & Jean Unsworth
Homage to a native-American Saint – who are the saints among us now who grace and inspire our lives?
Kateri Tekakwitha Jamie Bernardo Avila-Borunda, Class of 2015 oil on wood gift of the artist
THIRD FLOOR east hallway
This unique artwork was created to honor the memory of Rabbi Hayim Perelmuter, a long-time member of the CTU faculty from its earliest days. Unwoven into strips and threads, the canvas was dyed in rainbow colors and adorned with beading and biblical words. The image can be read as both prayer shawl over short robe (tallit and kittel) and stole over chasuble. The inspiration for this design is drawn from the Rabbi’s book, Siblings: Rabbinic Judaism and Early Christianity at their Beginnings. He sees them as siblings because in that early period there were many forms of Judaisms from which these two siblings emerged. Is this not a powerful motive for engaging in the respectful dialogue CTU supports? May Rabbi Perelmuter’s memory be a blessing for us.
Rainbow Wings Laurie Wohl
Unweaving® dyed canvas, 2002 gift of the artist, CTU administration, staff, & faculty
A two-way open door to the city? What difference does it make that CTU originally chose to locate in a large, diverse city? near a great university? close to other seminaries? What do we receive, what are we to give?
CTU against Chicago Skyline Franklin McMahon Watercolor gift of Paul Bechtold, CP
THIRD FLOOR south hallway
Center: Hopes that CTU Grads Will Be Everywhere in the World Right: Catholic Theological Union Left:
Joseph Zhang Wenzi
Chinese Scroll calligraphy gift of Joseph Zhang Wenzi, CTU alum
“Our Cross of New Life implies that Jesus is coming out of the suffering and death experience. The cross shows us that he is still partially nailed to the cross and is coming at us, inviting us to new life.” [Holy Family Catholic Community, Inverness IL]
An apt image for the “hour” of Christ’s glorification (Jn 17:1)?
The Cross of New Life Ernest Caballero acrylic sculpture, artist’s proof gift of Robin & Bill Booth
THIRD FLOOR south hallway Rm. 304 Stairwell
A bird’s eye view of the birth of the languages – for communion or alienation?
The Tower of Babel Names of Allah
Moshe Castel
World Religions
calligraphy on scroll gift of Ralph Metz, CTU alum
bas-relief, 1972 gift of Neil Parsons, CP
tile Richard McCarron, loan
Last Supper Sergio Gomez painting on canvas on loan from artist
THIRD FLOOR atrium west wall
Can visual images make forgotten news of atrocities into indelible memories?
In a Nicaraguan Village triptych, Steve Erspamer paper cutting gift of Richard Fragomeni
A commentator’s note of interest to CTU: “The more one encounters He Qi’s art, the more one encounters the creative tension between the vernacular and the universal, the local and the global, what Robert Brusic calls the ‘synthesis between artistic indigenization and proclamation.’ He Qi’s pictorial vocabulary is thoroughly Chinese, but the message is nothing less than the Gospel itself. Again, Brusic: ‘He Qi presents us with art that connects us to the biblical story in a fresh, even a surprising, way. He is both storyteller and evangelist in his art. He is not only preaching the gospel of Jesus Christ, but he is also conveying a message that transcends cultural types. In seeking to de-westernize the Christian story, he is trying to open our eyes to the universal implications of the larger and all-encompassing narrative of God’s love for all creation’.” (ARTS: The Arts in Religious and Theological Studies 9:3 (1997), p. 10)
Crucifixion
Jonah and the Whale
Easter Morning
He Qi numbered artist’s proof giclee (1/180, 2/380, 1/180) from He Qi’s extensive works on narratives & figures of both testaments of the bible Steve Bevans, loan 8
FOURTH FLOOR
Such beauty from such simple things!
Tongan Tapa bark cloth with vegetable dye Steve Bevans, loan
table-sharing in face of death – What are we to lament today?
Lamentation Lilian Brulc, 1992 monotype
what were they feeling?
The Last Supper Owbrakpeya Le African batik gift of Hesburgh students
FIFTH FLOOR
“Am I my brother’s keeper” (Gen 4:9)? a question still with us
Consoling Ghitta Caiserman-Roth gouache painting, 1967 gift of Hayim and Nancy Perelmuter
Good Shepherd Cross Gil & Fritz Ostdiek design by Maria Velez cherry wood
FIFTH FLOOR
This work visually frees the biblical Mary from later conflation with other unnamed women in the gospel. From a small fishing village of Magdala beside Lake Galilee, Mary became a follower of Jesus, who had cured her. She, Joanna, Susana, and other women accompanied him, supporting the mission of Jesus and the twelve out of their own resources (Luke 8:1-3). Her journey with Jesus took her to the foot of the cross on Calvary (John 19:25). On Easter morning she visited his tomb and, finding it empty, she ran to tell the others (John 20:1-3). When they left, not understanding what it meant, she stayed there weeping. The Risen Lord appeared to her and sent her to go and tell them the news (John 20:14-18). Mary’s journey with Jesus had taken her from a fishing village to her call to be the “apostle to the apostles.” Disciple: one called to be sent
The Succession of Mary Magdalene Janet L. McKenzie First panel Companion: Mary Magdalene with Joanna and Susanna Center panel The One Sent: Mary Magdalene with Jesus, the Christ Third panel Apostles Of The Apostle: Mary Magdalene with the Beloved Disciple and Peter oil on canvas gift of Barbara A. Marian & Jerome E. Powers
For a fuller reflection, see http://learn.ctu.edu/sites/learnatctu/files/WomenHeartMission.pdf, a public lecture by Barbara Reid, OP, for the installation of this triptych at CTU. Also see three other works by McKenzie: “Jesus of the People” (1st floor lobby), “Epiphany” (2nd floor pre-function area), “Mary with
FIFTH FLOOR Library
If David danced before the ark, is it not proper and right to dance always & everywhere before the Lord of life?
African Dancers Mossudy oil painting gift of Ken O’Malley, CP
The story of Ruth, gleaning fallen wheat with grace, is written everywhere in her flowing garment and in her love for poor widow and orphan – what stories are we to write?
Ruth Yossi Yaffé watercolor Laurie Brink, OP, loan
Such a simple thing as cockcrow can herald not only a new morn but also rebirth of loyalty denied
The Denial of Peter Joseph O’Connell print (37/50) gift of Kathleen Hughes, RSCJ
FIFTH FLOOR Library
What lessons are we to draw as we ponder the intertwined stories of Deborah and Jael, a judge in Israel and a Bedouin wife, and their roles in the strife between the Israelites and Canaanites (Judges 4–5)? Can human events such as this truly be a place where God is at work? How are we to read the signs of God’s presence at work in our own time?
Deborah and Jael Lilian Brulc acrylic on canvas gift of the artist
Colors running riot – is not the beauty of flowers an image of the joy of life?
Flower M. E. Perly oil painting gift of Rabbi Dr. Hayim Perelmuter
FIFTH FLOOR Library Stacks
City of peace once the abode of a temple mount and a way of sorrow trod to promise wholeness & peace – and now?
Christ Weeping over Jerusalem Lilian Brulc oil gift of the artist
What does the collage plunged into an open side beneath a purple cloak say about our world? What does the repeated pattern of arms and binding (tefillin?) in image & collage evoke?
Cloak and Crown Lilian Brulc acrylic with collage gift of the artist
FIFTH FLOOR Library Stacks
a just man attentive to dreams a simple wood worker honest & true as the tool he holds
Joseph the Carpenter Fred Henze ceramic tile, 1974 gift of Thomas More Newbold, CP
A message for our times?
Jesus and the Children Fred Henze, 1974 terracotta bas-relief
FIFTH FLOOR Library Stacks
sometimes it may take kneeling in a desert to hear a call and to accept its demands with hands that are open
Desert Call Christopher Krymski, OSM Class of 1982 lithograph 1976
sometimes fleeing from lost hope can become the journey to a new way of life
Disciples on the Way to Emmaus Christopher Krymski, OSM Class of 1982 woodcut print, 1976 gift of Ken O’Malley, CP
About the The Mary-Frances and Bill Veeck Gallery at CTU The purpose of The Mary-Frances and Bill Veeck Gallery is twofold: to nurture an appreciation for and understanding of art, and to communicate truth and beauty to an audience that includes students and members of the CTU community and the general public.
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