The Church of England in Norfolk and North-East Suffolk
Press Release
TO: LOCAL MEDIA
FROM: Jan McFarlane on Wednesday 30 April 2008

Challenging Art
A new exhibition at St Stephen's, Norwich.
An Artist whose works have been commissioned by the Archbishop of Canterbury for Lambeth Palace will be displaying a variety of his works at St Stephen`s Church on Rampant Horse Street in Norwich.

For two weeks from Saturday May 17, Paul Hobbs, an artist from Gloucester who wrestles with Christian concepts in his creative and challenging works will be displaying both pictures and sculpture at St Stephen`s. Under the title of “The Things That Are Not” he reflects the ideas transmitted by St Paul that it is the things of heaven rather than of earth, which have the greatest power to transform human life.   He depicts the struggles of those who have nothing and aligns himself with the passion that Jesus had in being  alongside the poor and marginalized.  Paul Hobbs` works in his own words “detail the death of Christ and the so-called foolishness of God in dying to bring us forgiveness and reconciliation with him. Above all they seek to show the relevance of Christ to everyone in all situations.” Paul exhibits across the country in a variety of contexts, galleries, art centres, schools and churches; and gives talks and worskshops about the meaning of his artwork.  His exhibits involve children`s games, news articles and ready-made objects which are assembled to build disturbing conceptual associations. St Stephen`s is staging this exhibition as a way of implementing its shared vision to develop “a creative expression of Christianity.”  It is the first major attempt to show how the church can be used to reach a wider audience, especially meeting the needs of the substantial number of people who pass the church doors each week in its city-centre location. ENDS