James Murnane: June 2014

I was recently asked by the team of One Spirit Australia, a Catholic youth movement, to help contribute to the environment of their event for the celebration of Pentecost.

Took me a couple of solid weeks in the studio to complete this painted piece. It is 3.4m high by 1.3m wide, painted in acrylic and interference acrylic. The final installation was envisioned and executed by the environment team of One Spirit, particularly Lily Rattray, to be an encounter upon entering the "Upper Room". It was a joy to offer a minor contribution to a most special event.

For those who are not so religiously connected, the Christian celebration of Pentecost is the birthday of the Church, when the Apostles were celebrating the Jewish Feast of Weeks the Holy Spirit came upon them in a rush of wind and as like tongues of flame, gifting them, setting their hearts on fire, and casting out their fear, to go out share the Gospel and these very same gifts with others.

This work represents these seven gifts: Wisdom, Understanding, Right Judgement, Courage, Knowledge, Reverence, and Wonder and awe in God's presence. They overlap and feed into each other, further fanning the flames.

I will likely be reworking this piece into an even larger installation, which I will hopefully be able to share later this year.