Welcome to a forward-pointing gallery of (unofficial & everyday) saints |
|||
Contact hughgibbons@just1.org.uk www.just1.org.uk/adelantegallery is one of the artful activities of Hugh and www.just1.org.uk Updated 25 October 2024 |
"ADELANTE! LET US GO FORWARD!”
Much admired round the world by people of all faiths and none, Romero later became an official Catholic Saint. But most people can point to what you might call catholic Unofficial Saints: inspirers, encouragers, uplifters, initiators, wave-makers; nearby or far off; who see things can change for the better; helping others go forwards by words or action. And that's what the Adelante Gallery is about. "The Saints Next Door”, says Pope Francis – one of the many voices to enjoy by anyone walking around the four faces of the 2+ metre tall Adelante Gallery.
Adelante is home-made. By a very amateur artist, carpenter and designer - a former CAFOD volunteer. Squeezed in his garage at home. But something seriously different to enjoy, appreciate and learn from. And very ecumenical. On wheels.
Adelante is unlike other galleries - in size,
shape, content, and purpose. It's not fixed in
one place, has no admission charges or cafe,
with exhibits that visitors are welcome to
touch.
Other exhibits include socks sent by Churches Together in England; a carpenter's pencil from the TUC; breathing space by a Quaker school; earth from a German church and memorial garden, Central Park NY and an airfield in Northamptonshire; and a fragment of an historic 1943 Flying Fortress.
Oh, and an Alphabet of Unofficial Saints. And the word for Forward in 24 different languages.
The Gallery carries an uncommon diversity of voices on behalf of common humanity, including Oscar Romero, Malala Yousafzai, Henri Dunant's candlelit legacy, Kurt Vonnegut on the Beatitudes, Jo Cox MP's nameplate in a Brussels square, Desmond Tutu's elephant, Daniel Berrigan's office poster, and Mary Robinson on human rights. You'll see word of The Forgiveness Project, NGOs in Africa and Guatemala, reporters on the Mexico-US border, successors to Bartolomeo de las Casas, The Great Get-Together, a student protester in El Salvador, the work of conservators, the West Door of Westminster Abbey, and a tribute to People Who Make Waves.
Gallery creator Hugh Gibbons invited several people to have a small but cheery part. The balsa wood was funded by Pax Christi. The FairTrade socks came from Churches Together in England. And the carpenter’s pencil from Frances O’Grady of the TUC recognises that trade unions around the world are among Romero’s many admirers.
The Gallery's been put to use by secondary and primary schools and parishes.
Adelante!
|
For easy reading on screen or page there's this updated PDF Adelante Guide with current contents, words and pictures
NB
This PDF has ideas on how to put Adelante to use
|
|
The Gallery comes in several sections that are easy to lift and assemble. Small castor wheels on the base mean that it's easy to move around in a church or school setting - and travel around in the back of a family car. Here's the line-up of detachable panels after its stay with Chaplain Fiona (to the left of Hugh) at St Edmund's School in Portsmouth - with other helpers Anne Gibbons, a school support worker, and a new assistant chaplain. |
The Adelante Gallery is unusual in being compact and built to travel around - in a family car:
Made with secondary schools, churches and other communities in mind, The Adelante Gallery has visited many since 2018 - in Wokingham, Bracknell, Ascot, Portsmouth, Waterlooville, Leigh Park, Maidenhead, Windsor and Reading. In October 2024 Adelante arrived at its long-promised permanent home with the Romero Catholic Academy in Coventry - with its secondary and seven primary schools. The idea is that Adelante will in time visit each - and maybe find its way to others around. In the hall at English Martyrs Church Reading - with official saints and flags of the world on the walls The Gallery's very ecumenical - so it happily fitted into a Sunday service at All Souls CofE Church in South Ascot Ready to welcome the congregation at St Edmund Campion Church in Maidenhead - before being rolled across the car park for a stay with the Primary School. |
INSTRUCTIONS FOR GALLERY SETTING UP AND TRAVEL 1-page PDF to download or browse on-screen The Chaplain at St Oscar Romero School in Worthing showed that the Gallery does indeed fit in the back of a small car - handy when he took it out for visits to local primaries. How tall is the Gallery? About a deacon and an eighth, judging by this picture of Tom Hiney in the Lady Chapel of St Edward the Confessor Church in Windsor in August 2023. He's about 6'4", and a great help in lifting the parts into place. |
|
< OFFICIAL MEETS UNOFFICIAL IN THE CATHEDRAL... |
Adelante had return visit to the Cathedral in November 2023, this time in St Patrick's Chapel - before a long stay in chapel at St Edmund's School along the road. |
||
Back to top |