The Rothko Chapel: A No man's Land for God's Truce
Suna Umari
Thursday, June 1, 2006 at 7:30 PM
October 28, 2005 marked the 40th anniversary of Nostra Aetate, the Second Vatican Council's declaration on the Roman Catholic Church's relations with non-Christian religions. It outlined commonalities between the Church and other world religions, including Hinduism, Buddhism, Islam and Judaism, and called for increased inter-religious discussion. In marking this anniversary, Suna Umari, The Rothko Chapel's Director of Archives, presented a speech at two international conferences observing the impact this little-known declaration had on the Rothko Chapel’s evolution and mission. Since it's dedication, The Chapel has made enormous progress in influencing people and enabling conversation among various faith traditions in Houston. Although there are many religious organizations, art institutions, and human rights organizations, the Rothko Chapel is the only one that is able to combine the three spheres into one unit.
Suna Umari will present the speech she gave in Rome and Jerusalem, commemorating the 40th anniversary of the Nostra Aetate Declaration. She also spoke on the subject at the Institute of Religious Studies in Bologna to a group of young scholars. Suna Umari has been with the Chapel for 25 years and has experienced first-hand the effects this notable document has had on The Rothko Chapel and Houston's religious communities.
African Art: Embracing the Other's Culture and Traditions
Dr. Elias Bongmba and Simone Swan
Thursday, June 8, 2006 at 7:30 pm
Dr. Elias Bongmba and Simone Swan will speak about the beginnings of John and Dominique de Menil’s African art collection and how it relates to the Rothko Chapel and to the world.
Simone Swan
Simone Swan was instrumental is launching the collected works of African art exhibited at The Menil
Collection. She was also an active member of The Rothko Chapel’s inaugural team and organized its opening ceremony in 1971. In 1972 the Menils invited her to be the founding Executive Vice President for The Menil Foundation. In 1977, with a grant provided by Dominique de Menil she began a study with Egyptian architect Hassan Fathy. Swan was the founder Withers Swan, a Manhattan-based public information agency devoted to art and culture in the 1960’s. Withers Swan worked with international museum and university clients and later provided pro-bono services to several environmental causes.
She now designs and builds earth architecture and teaches adobe workshops. She divides her time between Presidio, Texas, in the Big Bend and Santa Fe, New Mexico. She was educated at The Art Student's League, The New School and Yale University.
Dr. Elias Bongmba
Dr. Elias Bongmba is associate Professor of Religious Studies at Rice University and teaches African Religions and the Religions of the African Diaspora. He will highlight the twin gift of faith and art that open doors to interfaith collaboration, education, and human freedom to make connections around the globe.
He is author of African Witchcraft and Otherness: A Philosophical and Theological Critique of Intersubjective Relations, in which he has offered a critique of witchcraft practices that violate intersubjective relations using the philosophy of the French Jewish philosopher, Emmanuel Levinas. His second book, The Dialectics of Transformation in Africa, explores the political crisis in Africa and offers perspectives on reforming political power. In this book Bongmba explores current discourses about democracy, civil society, good governance, and the African Renaissance. Dr. Bongmba is currently completing a manuscript on HIV/AIDS in Africa titled: "Facing a Pandemic: Theological Obligations at a Time of Illness." He is a member of the American Academy of Religion and The African Studies Association.
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