Deluge: A Conversation with artist Hilary Jack

A conversation about art, faith and climate change

Join artist Hilary Jack and Claire Lording, Vicar of Pershore Abbey, who will be leading an event chaired by Anne de Charmant, Artistic Director of Meadow Arts.

Hilary Jack will talk about her art practice and her recent work Deluge, which will be on display at Pershore Abbey until 30 November. Claire Lording will tell us more about the Eco Church initiative. The conversation will then centre on the place of art and faith in the face of global climate change. There will then be ample time for a Q&A with the audience.

There is little doubt that climate change is the defining issue of our age. The motif of the flood emerges as one of its more brutal markers, along with heatwaves, droughts, wildfires and evermore powerful storms. Mimicking the relentless scroll of news found on busy urban landmarks or at the bottom of our news screens, two lines of LED text roll on continuously. One line announces recent flooding events locally and around the globe, while the other relays age-old flood narratives and myths from various cultures and distant civilisations.

Once seen as isolated events, news of floods, whether local or global, have now become an almost daily inventory. We used to receive those news with varying degrees of alarm depending on our degree of proximity to the event, but increasingly we understand them as a global phenomenon that affects us all.

The so-called “diluvian” ( from deluge) narratives and flood myths may vary across regions and epochs, peoples and religions, but the fact is that they can be found in almost every culture across the planet. It may be no exaggeration to say that we all, as humans, carry some form of ‘deluge’ in our collective consciousness.

A common thread to all the diluvian stories is that they are almost always unleashed by some form of negative human agency. An original fault, often hubris or arrogance in men, leads to punishment through flooding, followed by a form of renewal or cleansing. Floods have always taken place and they have shaped our planet, but today they are a constant, brought on by human action and the unsustainable misuse of resources. It might be that this time, the renewal materialises in increased awareness and better stewardship.

This event is free, booking essential and donations are welcome.

This presentation of Deluge has been made possible with a grant from the Elmley
Foundation.

On Sunday 10 September, Storm Daniel hit north-eastern Libya, causing strong winds and sudden heavy rainfall. Meadow Arts are helping support the British Red Cross emergency appeal to help those affected by the flooding. The best way to help reach people affected is by donating to the appeal, which supports local teams on the ground.

Event Time: 3 – 4pm
Free, booking essential
Donations welcome