Gospel Dreams: The Art of Laura James

NEW HAVEN — “Gospel Dreams: The Art of Laura James” is on display until February 28 at the Yale Institute of Sacred Music, 409 Prospect Street.

Laura James, originally from Brooklyn, N.Y., is a self-taught painter of Antiguan heritage who paints religious subjects and visual dramatizations of Bible stories using iconography found in Ethiopian Christian Art. The Yale exhibition forges links between African-Americans and countries of origin on the African continent, and between the under-appreciated presence of Early Christianity there, now expressed in contemporary terms for a contemporary public here in the United States.

The paintings encompass secular as well as sacred themes. Many use bright colors, intricate patterns, and sometimes surreal imagery; some depict women, families, and scenes of everyday life.

In 2001, Ms James was commissioned by Liturgy Training Publications to create 35 images for a new reading of the Book of the Gospels, one of the most sacred books of the church. The completed book has been praised both for its multicultural approach and for its beauty. “I feel as though we’re really expanding on the Ethiopian iconic tradition,” says Ms James about the book.

Ms James’s work is widely collected and exhibited. Her images have been published in several publications including African American Wisdom published by Courage Books 2003; Oxford Illustrated History of the Bible (2001); and Love: A Celebration in Art and Literature, published by Stewart, Tabori & Chang in 2001.

A reception will be held to honor the artist and the exhibition on Thursday. February 3, from 4:30 to 6 pm, at the Institute.

The exhibition, presented with support from Yale Divinity School, is open weekdays from 9 am to 4 pm. Both the exhibition and the reception are free and open to the public.

For more information, call the Institute at 203-432-5062 or visit www.yale.edu/ism.