Watch the video of Hana creating her beautiful piece of artwork here.
The clouds are heavy and threatening rain. We shouldn’t be surprised, after all, this is the northwest. Downpours and spray-paint do not mix, and so we offer a prayer up whilst keeping an eye on the weather. We’re here in Netherton, Liverpool to witness Rev Hana Amner adorn the walls of Emmanuel Baptist Church with her spiritual brand of street art.
Hana is an artist. Wife. High school Chaplain. Rector of two churches. Known as the ‘Creative Priest.’
For the next six hours she wrestles with aerosol paint and brickwork, transforming a blank church wall into a prophetic canvas.
Proximity often talks about living with hopeful imaginations for our communities, and today, the Creative Priest is helping us to do just that. With artwork pointing to the glorious clutter and chaos of community life.
One of the things that characterizes Liverpool is the spirit of the people. Scouse humour. Mental toughness. Resilience. Unity. There’s a sort of communal personality with scousers. A strong sense of community. The pride of the city runs through its football teams, musicians, and comedians. It seems fitting, therefore, Rev Hana has chosen ‘the trinity’ as the focal point of her picture. The Trinity helps us see God as loving community. God is love, and that dynamic activity of love has been going on in God forever, through Father, Son, and Spirit. And what can be more loving than being invited to someone’s dinner table. That’s exactly what this piece of art does. It welcomes the viewer to God’s table. The Trinity invites you to come dine with me.
In the piece, three haloed figures are seen at the head of the table. More parental than religious. Like heads of the family, not some distant gods. Community life flows in and around them. Children are swept amongst it all, caught in the flow of circular lines, giving the impression of family lineage. Each face is filled with a cross, reminding us that everyone bears the image of Jesus. All brothers and sisters in Christ. Inscribed at the centre of this communion are the words, ‘There is always room for you at the table.’ An invitation for us to step into the life of the trinity. No strangers or outsiders here. We’re all welcome. All family. All community.
Yes, this is a picture of the Trinity, but it is also a picture of each of us. Children of God who bear the image of Christ. There are skateboards and footballs, crisps, and chicken nuggets at this table. A McHappy meal is as holy as bread and wine in this family. The community of three divine persons at peace with the noise and chaos and mess of sloppy life. It recalls the stories of Jesus slopping it out at the tables of Levi and sinners. The carpenter is most at peace with those who hold no pretensions. It’s the religious uptight who stay at the edge of his dinner table. Jesus finds their pious masks exhausting. He’s much more into real life. Authentic community. Beautifully grubby family life. Hana captures this holy sloppiness through the swirls and whirls of her multicoloured paintwork. Using vibrant colours to convey the energy and brilliance of life in the spirit.
This is a community where people enjoy one another’s company. They eat and laugh and cry for one another. They overlook rather than tolerate each other’s faults and flaws. They may bicker and bite but they’re quick to forgive and forget. And when the proverbial hits the fan- they pull together. I scratch your back, you tickle mine. You help my kids and grannies, I help yours. We live in polarised times. We’re quick to jump on those who don’t look or behave or think like us. But in Hana’s picture, we are reminded that good community welcomes all. Come to the table, everyone. Even you! Yes, you with the red football shirt and you in the blue. You with the long hair and tattoos. You with the shaven head and the suit. You with your nose in the air and you with your eyes to the ground. Come all. Noisy. Quiet. Introvert. Extrovert. You in the Porsche. You on the bus. Come, you snot-nosed kids with skateboards, and you tired young mums pulling your hair out. Come all of you. Pull up a stool. Grab a plate and tuck in. Join the family. There’s room for all of you at the table.
Except for a moment of drizzle, the weather ends up behaving. By six o’clock the walls of Emmanuel Baptist church have become a public gallery. Hana has interacted with children, families, and all passing footfalls. Today has been a day of community interaction, and long after the artist leaves, her street art will continue to speak to the neighbourhood.
Artists like Banksy have long used their creativity to comment on social, political, and economic aspects of life. The Creative Priest does all this under the banner of spirituality. Themes of equality, belonging, and family are all expressed through her visionary work. With its community grocery, preloved store, and inclusive groups, activities and worship, this church has always cried out ‘welcome.’ Now its wall screams out ‘belonging’ too. Netherton isn’t just a blank canvas for an artist to paint upon. It is a mixture of cultures and values, personalities and people, love and belonging, all woven together under the headship of the Trinity. The Kingdom seems so simple in Hana’s work. Perhaps that’s the point. We overcomplicate faith with our strategies and theologies and five-year plans. Jesus kick-started a revolution at the tables of hungry people. Community. Acceptance. Belonging. Not too far from this place, a couple of scruffy scousers sang a song about it. ‘All you need is love.’ Could it be that simple? Hana seems to think so. And so do the walls of Emmanuel Baptist Church.