David Trigg speaks to artist, writer and mentor Alastair Gordon about the Christian imagination and how art and faith intersect in his work.
Alastair’s meticulous paintings draw on the tradition of Quodlibet, a little known 17th-century genre of illusionistic painting, in which collections of everyday objects are depicted scattered across tabletops or pinned up on boards. Reimagining quodlibet for the 21st century, Alastair paints snapshots of the artist’s studio, where materials relating to the making of paintings are all rendered with exacting detail. In these works, still life mingles with landscape to address weightier concerns of truth, beauty, and faith.
As a writer, Alastair has reflected on the relationship between art and faith through several books, exploring from a Christian perspective what it looks like to work with integrity as an artist and religious believer.
Alastair's work as a mentor has helped countless artists think clearly about how their personal faith connects with their work, bringing clarity, encouragement and challenge to believers working in the arts.
Artworks discussed in this episode can be viewed online via Alastair’s website: www.alastairjohngordon.com and on Instagram @alastair_gordon @exhibitingfaith
Learn more about Alastair’s work with Morphé Arts: www.morphearts.org
Alastair’s book, Why Art Matters, is available now, published by IVP: ivpbooks.com
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