Retired Radford University art professor and Floyd County artist Charlie Brouwer’s “Benediction Project” connects religion, and community, through art.
The artist is offering his “Benediction” sculpture for free to any church, worship center/community in or near the New River Valley. He installs the sculpture in public view on their property, with arms raised in a traditional gesture of blessing, facing out towards the surrounding community.
“Although religions and ways of worship can seem very different on the surface, they also have many things in common,” said Brouwer about the project. “One of them is a desire to have a positive impact on their communities. I hope this art project helps point that out.”
Each placement lasts 40 days and the sculpture is already booked into September, 2020. The “tour” began at Zion Lutheran in Floyd and then to Pleasant Valley Church of the Brethren in the Alum Ridge area of Floyd County. The sculpture can be seen at Mount Tabor United Methodist Church in Montgomery County, 1742 Walton Rd. until March 31. Next in line is Grace Episcopal and then First Presbyterian – both in Radford – followed by Community Christian in Dublin, and Unitarian Universalist Congregation in Blacksburg.
Any church/place of worship that would like to participate is invited to contact Charlie Brouwer at cbrouwer@swva.net. Follow the project on Facebook @benedictionproject.
