Historic Church opens its doors for the first time in 800 years to a contemporary art exhibition confronting the impending climate crisis.
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EDEN BLEEDS
Recognising the devastation caused by the climate crisis and the integral role art can play in reimagining our responses, for the first time in its illustrious 800-year history, the renowned parish church of St Marys in Redcliffe, Bristol, has opened its doors to a contemporary abstract art exhibition addressing the issue. Featuring the artwork of the Bristol based Mexican artist Chantal Meza, “Eden Bleeds,” showcases 13 evocative works that address the destruction of our planet and the disappearance of our shared biosphere.
In response to the churches hosting of her work, the artist stated, “it is an extraordinary privilege to be able to exhibit these works in such an iconic and beautiful setting. I really have no words knowing this is the first time the church has welcomed in an exhibition of contemporary art in this way. It's a real honour and deeply humbling”.
Commenting on St Marys decision to welcome the exhibition, Vicar Laura Verrall-Kelly added, “while it seems remarkable this prominent church hasn't hosted a contemporary art exhibition before, Eden Bleeds is the perfect and timely response as the church also shows how it can adapt and play more of a socially engaged role. The moment we met Chantal and saw the brilliant works, we knew we had to do this.”
Eden Bleeds was officially launched last weekend and will run from 8th March to 22nd April, 2025. Complimenting the exhibition, the church has decided to frame its full lent program to dealing with ecological concerns. Reflecting on the significance, Canon Dan Tyndall added: “We are proud to be hosting this superb exhibition of work by Chantal Meza, focusing on some of the biggest challenges facing humanity: environmental destruction, disappearing ecosystems and pollution. The Church of England believes that responding to the climate crisis is an essential part of our responsibility to safeguard God's creation and achieve a just world. This exhibition helps to raise awareness of environmental issues and fits in with our own determination to become a more environmentally friendly church that is singing the song of faith and justice.”
In addition to the exhibition, a suite of events is being organised to open conversation in an art led way between artists, experts, and broader publics. The impetus for this was stated by Professor Brad Evans who is Director of the Centre for the Study of Violence at the University of Bath and a co-lead on the project who added: “Our societies need to find novel and original ways of discussing and education about challenging issues. This means rethinking our public spaces and ensuring art plays a central role in those urgent and necessary conversations. You don't need to be religious to believe in the spirit of humanity. And St Marys have shown what is possible if you also put faith in a project that allows us to reimagine better futures”.
Leading thinkers from pioneering organizations like The Eco-Leadership Institute, Alameda Institute and Centre for the Study of Violence will participate in a series of public talks and workshops. Tours of the works will be held to inform publics on the importance of art and how we might reimagine social responses to this collective planetary issue and bring new attention to the multiple ways ecologies are endangered.
The Eden Bleeds solo exhibition consists of two series and two public and private pieces which include:
Visceral Ecologies
Triad
The Burning Embers of Hope
Wilderness of Doubt
EVENTS
The exhibition will provide a contemplative mediation on the subject in a fitting spiritual setting. Leading thinkers from pioneering organizations like The Eco-Leadership Institute, Alameda Institute and Centre for the Study of Violence will participate in a series of public talks and workshops. Tours of the works will be held to inform publics on the importance of art and how we might reimagine social responses to this collective planetary issue and bring new attention to the multiple ways ecologies are endangered.
15th March 2025
The Soul of Ecological Thinking
17:00hrs to 18:00hrs
The Eco-Leadership Institute has been active and influential in humanitarian work supporting those in war zones and natural disasters, engaging leaders in the high-tech and manufacturing sector, and with religious organisations. Its ground-breaking approach provides organisations that are more engaged, purposeful, and adaptive in the face of urgent challenges. In this conversation between artist Chantal Meza and Founder and CEO Simon Western they will discuss how this organisation connects leadership and coaching to ecosystem thinking and how they help create social value beyond profit or growth while providing healthy interconnections between people, organisations, technology, and the natural world.
Dr. Simon Western is the Founder and CEO - The Eco-Leadership Institute.
29th March 2025
Energy Transition.
17:00hrs to 18:00hrs
The launch of the dossier “Energy Transitions: Just and Beyond” by the Alameda Institute will explore contributions from the editors and authors as they connect climate change, just transition, political strategies, and the geopolitics of energy. Eith the presence of Sabrina Fernandes, and Amir Lebdioui, the panel aims to provide an accessible and comprehensive analysis of tendencies and conflicts to advance a global energy transition within the next years. While a just transition to a low-emissions society requires moving beyond sectoral approaches to mitigation and adaptation, it is clear that bottlenecks in the energy transition present one of the biggest challenges to curb the amount of greenhouse gases we send to the atmosphere. The talk will focus on the challenges of coordinating an internationalist just transition as we race against time.
Sabrina Fernandes is a sociologist and political economist with a PhD from Carleton University, Canada.
Amir Lebdioui is an Algerian development economist, Associate Professor of the Political Economy of Development and the director of TIDE Centre at the University of Oxford.
12th April 2025
The weaponization of Ecology.
17:00hrs to 18:00hrs
This talk will explore the relationship between violence and ecology in the classic Divine Comedy by Dante Alighieri. It would look at the ways in which Dante understood ecology as a force which not only sustained his life but can be weaponized to bring terrible harm and suffering. This is a free 1hr Event where you will be able to speak with Brad and chat with the artist about her work.
Brad Evans is a Professor of Political Violence & Aesthetics and founding Director of the Centre for the Study of Violence at the University of Bath.
EDEN BLEEDS
Showcasing 13 works from the acclaimed Mexican painter Chantal Meza, this exhibition deals with the ravages of ecological collapse and the weaponisation of our life world system. This is the first time these works have been exhibited in public. With the church focusing its lent program on the issue of ecology, a suite of events will be organised to open conversation in an art led way between artists, experts, and broader publics on our shared planetary concerns.
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