Works of Mercy

It's been quite a day.

It started much too early considering we didn't get back from Igor's superb gig somewhere down South close to Milton Keynes until after midnight.  From 8.30 until 2, I was leading a workshop with a group of local churches considering ideas about why and how they should think about ways to become dementia friendly churches.  As so often at those events, I found the individual stories being shared very emotional, and demanding.  But oh so rewarding. The sewing of seeds.

After that, I was restless, and I felt the need to go somewhere and do something, but it had to be the right thing.  And it came along.  I remembered that there was a photographic exhibition at the Barber Institute of Fine Arts at Birmingham University I was interested in, and it is due to finish on 21 May, so SHH and I took ourselves off there for the last hour or so of opening times today.

I have often thought of going to this gallery but have never got there.  I will go again.  It is small, but has a range of interesting works in the permanent galleries and there were two groups having guided tours which SHH and I dipped into as we passed through.

My Blip is the entrance door to the building with the reflection of the landscape outside.  The building itself is an architectural gem, set on the main university campus in Edgbaston.

The exhibition I wanted to see was by the Birmingham based Portuguese growing up in Naples photographer,  Attillio Fiumarella.  There are fourteen beautiful, moving photographs in his "Works of Mercy" collection which have been influenced by the work of Carravaggio, the homeless men of Naples and the prostitutes of the same town, in their suffering and need.  I found them all to be incredibly moving and beautiful.  I was not really aware before today of the fact that there are seven corporal works of mercy - feed the hungry, give drink to the thirsty, clothe the naked, shelter the homeless, visit the sick, visit the imprisoned and bury the dead,   and seven spiritual acts of mercy - counsel the doubtful, instruct the ignorant, admonish sinners, comfort the afflicted, forgive offences, bear wrongs patiently and pray for the living and the dead.  If you ever get the opportunity to go to see these photographs, please go.  I would be so interested to know what you think of them.

Those of you who know some of the things that are going on in my life will probably be able to deduce which of the items on display I was most affected by, especially as just before we had left home I had a conversation with my sister about Mom's progressing dementia and physical condition, and my youngest nephew phoned me from his current establishment where he is adjusting to a very different life.  All that on top of a morning talking about dementia and sharing stories with other folk who are trying so hard to come to terms with the works of mercy they are being called upon to perform.

It has done me good to write all this.  Thank you Blippers for reading.

In extras, you can see the view from one gallery at the Barber Institute, into the gallery where the Works of Mercy exhibition is.  No photography is allowed in the temporary exhibition, but I loved the lines and the simplicity of the displays in the gallery so wanted to share something of them with you.