News and Views

Ever since humans etched their story on caves more than 35,000 year ago, art and sacred space have been intertwined in human history. From its creation in 1884, Lovely Lane UMC in Baltimore has recognized this relationship. Recently, they moved to intentionally strengthen the link between art and sacred space by opening their building to the creation and exhibition of an installation by Melissa Webb.

Both art and religion are transcendent. “They open us up to something larger than ourselves,” said the Rev. Debbie Scott. Even the building the people of Lovely Lane worship in is an acknowledged treasure of architectural art.

Designed by the well-known architect Stanford White, Lovely Lane is patterned after churches in Ravenna, Italy. The bell tower, which has captured Scott’s imagination, echoes the campanile of the 12th century church of Santa Maria at the Abby of Pomposa near Ravenna. The stained-glass windows are by Tiffany.

Behind the sanctuary, is an elaborate unused fellowship hall with columns, a balcony, and a pipe organ.

On Oct. 4, Webb, a textile artist, unveiled her large-scale, room-sized, participatory, performative, elaborate unused fellowship hall with columns, a balcony, and a pipe organ.

On Oct. 4, Webb, a textile artist, unveiled her large-scale, room-sized, participatory, performative, contains a gazebo and a landscape of hanging creations made of decorated Victorian lampshades.

Visitors enter the space, some even try on some of the hanging “plantaliers” as hats, and walk into a place of intricacies and imagination, romance and altered-realities. It is a place for dreams; for gentle dancing and stretching one’s perceptions; it is a sacred space inside a sacred space, art living inside art.

An artist statement says the interactive environment “imagines a future where, in the face of deteriorating environmental and societal stability, humankind and the natural world learn

new ways to thrive in symbiosis. Viewers are encouraged to consider their bodies in relation to objects and people within the space — alternatively obscuring and revealing, isolating and conspiring.”

For the leadership of Lovely Lane, the collaboration with Webb and the Art in Sacred Spaces organization, which partners artists and churches, has revealed an opportunity to open their space to new people and ideas as they seek to become a more active member of their community.

The idea for the exhibition began a few years ago when Lena Leone, the church administrator, and Jackie Noller, the co-chair of the finance committee, learned about and then attended a two-day training on Art in Sacred Places.

This group, which was started in Philadelphia by the National Historic Trust and the Doris Duke Charitable Foundation, is now a national initiative that creates partnerships between churches, synagogues and mosques and musicians, dancers, writers, sculptors, painters and others.

The arts and artists play an integral role in the neighborhoods around Lovely Lane, said the pair, who are interested in having the church become more of a hub in the community.

Melissa Webb was an early adopter, they said. She works as the exhibitions manager at School 33 Arts Center, empowering other artists to create their visions.

During the run of the show, three Baltimore-based artists, including an opera singer, will react to the installation through the presentation of new, site responsive sound and performance works. These performances, together with the traditional tours of the church are expected to draw close to 1,000 visitors to “Proficiencies for Living in Ruin.”

“Art can be another expression of our faith,” Scott said. “In an historic place like this, so much is so old. We’ve woven something new into this incredible history. It’s a bit like the Ezekiel story. To bring a piece like this to Lovely Lane breathes new life into these old bones.”

 

* “Proficiencies for Living in Ruin” is open from noon to 4 p.m. on Saturdays and Sunday through Dec. 8. Tours are available by appointment. Contact Lena Leone at 410-889-2522 or For more information, visit http://lovelylane.net or www.melissawebbart.com/home.