December 26, 2018. Could you be called to shape the future of Mission and Ministry across the Diocese of Worcester? Since youre a frequent reader of our website, we want to be able to share even more great, As a frequent reader of our website, you know how important, Sister Wendy Beckett meditates on Janet McKenzie's "The Holy Family", Cardinal Cupich: Critics of Pope Francis Latin Mass restrictions should listen to JPII, Cardinal McElroy on radical inclusion for L.G.B.T. Of a postcoital self-portrait by Sir Stanley Spencer with Patricia Preece, Sister Wendy confessed, I love all those glistening strands of hair, and her pubic hair is so soft and fluffy., It was a sensation, widely quoted. Interview with Clive Anderson, BBC Radio 2, 28 January 2007, Postcards from God: The Sister Wendy Musical, "World of Sister Wendy Beckett, nun and art historian", "Sister Wendy Beckett, Nun Who Became a BBC Star, Dies at 88", "Sister Wendy Beckett British nun and art critic", "Sister Wendy Beckett | British nun and art critic", "Sister Wendy At The Norton Simon Museum", "500 Years On, The Vatican Museums Go Digital", "Sister Wendy's American Collection About the Series Buy the Book", "BBC Four Churches: How to Read Them, Reformation: Chaos and Creation", "BBC Four Arena, Sister Wendy and the Art of the Gospel", "Arena Sister Wendy and the Art of the Gospel", "She May Not Get Out Much, but She Does Know a Lot About Art", "BBC Radio 4 Desert Island Discs, Sister Wendy Beckett", "Sister Wendy Beckett, TV art historian, dies at 88", "Wendy Beckett Books List of books by author Wendy Beckett", "Publication: The Christ Journey Sister Wendy Beckett reflects on the art of Greg Tricker", "Sister Wendy Contemplates Saint Paul in Art 9780854397525 by Beckett, Wendy- St Pauls Publishing of 0/11/2008", "Speaking to the Heart: 100 Favourite Poems by Wendy Beckett - Books", "Sister Wendy Beckett - British nun and art critic", "Inner Life: A Fellow Traveler's Guide to Prayer", "The Duke and the Peasant: Life in the Middle Ages (Adventures in Art Series)", "Nonfiction Book Review: Mystical Now C by Sister Wendy Beckett, Author, Wendy Beckett, Author Universe Publishing(NY) $25.95 (160p) ISBN 978-0-87663-647-3", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Wendy_Beckett&oldid=1126090621, This page was last edited on 7 December 2022, at 13:18. As a devout Catholic and Consecrated Virgin, you might expect Sister Wendy to have been uncomfortable addressing works of art from other religions, nudes, and sexual subject matter. She was received by the local bishop as a consecrated virgin, an ancient ceremony, revived in Catholicism in the 1970s, in which she pledged her perpetual virginity and was betrothed mystically to Christ. She graduated at the top of her class. A natural if eccentric personality with a gift for drama, Sister Wendy helped make art accessible to the general public. She basically taught herself everything she knew about art, and then she taught it to lots of other people. Speaking to PBS in 2000 about her U.S. series, Sister Wendys American Collection, she said, I hope that everybody who watches it will realize what art has for them; that this is their heritage, that they are foolish not to explore it, and that the exploration is pleasurable., Brigit Katz Beckett emerged as an unlikely TV personality in the 1990s through her belief that art belongs to . I think that this type of open-mindedness towards things outside our usual preferences is essential for every art lover. Even throughout her success, Beckett remained dedicated to the convent. Her first book, Contemporary Women Artists, was published in 1988. Sister Wendy Beckett, TV art historian, dies at 88. For all of her unique features as a commentator, it was Becketts ease in describing nude paintings that most confounded her viewers. In 1988 her first book, Contemporary Women Artists, was published. Sister Wendy Beckett the Roman Catholic nun who became an unconventional television star died on Wednesday at the age of 88, the Carmelite Monastery in Quidenham, England confirmed to. In 1954 Sister Wendy completed her teaching diploma in Liverpool and returned to South . Soon enough, you will be saying with Peter, Lord, it is good that we are here., Cardinal Wilton Gregory said that Pope Francis has made it difficult for Americans to be comfortable with just one aspect of Catholic Social Teachingyouve got to have them all.. Prior to that, she had studied English literature at Oxford University and taught in her native homeland of South Africa. To those who regarded her life as a hermit and a TV celebrity as self-contradictory, the response lay in her sense of obedience. The piece caught the eye of a British Broadcasting Company (BBC) producer, and in 1992 Sister Wendys Odyssey made its debut. Please contact us at members@americamedia.org with any questions. If you login and register your print subscription number with your account, youll have unlimited access to the website. For many people, including . Sister Wendy Beckett, who has died aged 88, could be dismissive of the high-profile television work that made this hermit nun with owl-like glasses into an unlikely household name during the. Cookie Policy Critics pointed to her gapped teeth and her way of pronouncing r as if it were w. Her producers were more impressed by the pithy, ad-lib analyses she could fit neatly into a soundbite, a feat that won her a reputation as one-take Wendy., From the airing of her first series, Sister Wendys Odyssey, in 1992, she evaluated artworks as if the artist were standing beside her. I dread being someone wholl fritter it away., Her profound expositions of the paintings are deceptively simple, wrote our TV reviewer in 2013, of Sister Wendy and the Art of the Gospel. Sister Wendy. The capacity to see, to open up the vision of reality that an artist offers, is innate in us all. She was a brilliant art critic. It was as she wanted it. Please visit ourmembership pageto learn how you can invest in our work by subscribing to the magazine or making a donation. Sister Wendy died on December 26, 2018 at the age of 88. Returning to South Africa, she taught for 15 years at a Cape Town convent and later lectured at Johannesburgs University of Witwatersrand. In 1970, she returned to England and moved into the trailer at the Carmelite Monastery. [9] Later she moved to Johannesburg where she was appointed the superior of the local convent, while she also lectured at the University of the Witwatersrand. 11 January 2019 min Read, Sister Wendy Beckett, Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum in Boston, Sept. 4, 1997. The Grand Tour took Sister Wendy to cities including Paris, Madrid and Florence in 1996, Sister Wendy's Odyssey showed the unlikely TV star at her caravan in Norfolk in 1992, Isabel Oakeshott: Why I leaked minister's messages. I guess Im not the only one she was writing to.. Do you thrive on seeing people come to faith? [12] Sister Wendy Contemplates Saint Paul in Art was published in 2008 to celebrate the Year of Saint Paul. Beckett's death was a huge loss for the art world. She insisted, however, on describing the depiction of the human anatomy in art when it was called for, stating that "God did not make a mistake when He created the human body, so I am not making a mistake by describing it.". But persistent heart trouble and a history of epilepsy drained her strength. She died at 14:30 GMT at the Carmelite monastery in Quidenham. Her order agreed to her living thereafter under the protection of the Carmelites in Norfolk as a hermit, devoting herself to prayer. December 27, 2018. Its because of you that Im here today.. SISTER Wendy Beckett, who died on 26 December, aged 88, had been a Religious, leading a solitary life for two decades before she accepted an invitation to appear in a BBC documentary about the National Gallery. She had a a unique presentation style, a deep knowledge of and passion for the arts, remembers Jonty Claypole, director of arts at the BBC, which broadcasted Sister Wendys programs. That is too final a word. At funeral, pope remembers Benedict's 'wisdom, tenderness, devotion' by . Whether thats Eve or not, theres a human face there looking straight at Adam with the eyes daring him to respond to the challenge. McFadden, Robert D. Sister Wendy Beckett, Nun Who Became a BBC Star, Dies at 88. In 1946, she entered the Sisters of Notre Dame de Namur, a Roman Catholic congregation of religious sisters dedicated to education. This was the main reason she ventured outside her beloved life of solitude to help people experience the joys and spiritual benefits of fine art, which she believed should be shared by all. Our editors will review what youve submitted and determine whether to revise the article. Once she had finished her degree, Sister Wendy returned to South Africa and spent some 20 years teaching in convent schools. When you register, youll get unlimited access to our website and a free subscription to our email newsletter for daily updates with a smart, Catholic take on faith and culture from, In this 1997 file photo, Sister Wendy Beckett, a Roman Catholic nun of the Sisters of Notre Dame, who lives in Colinton, England, and is a well-known art critic, stands near an unidentified sarcophagus at the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum in Boston. Its going to happen, whether you try to put it off or not; so why not see it as a crowning?. Adams sprawled there in his naked male glory, but hes not alive, she told viewers in 1996. As it so happened, her trip coincided with a . It is most common to talk about paintings or sculptures inspired by a piece of literature. But audiences were captivated by her richly human tales, which brought art to life. New York: Stewart, Tabori & Chang, 1994. Meet Sister Wendy. As well as more shows, she now gained opportunities to be a published writer on specifically religious subjects, such as the saints, icons, and prayer. God is such a total mystery. Sister Wendy Beckett, who has died aged 88, could be dismissive of the high-profile television work that made this hermit nun with owl-like glasses into an unlikely household name during the 1990s. It contained colour illustrations of works by a range of modern artists, with her comments, which were always scrupulously truthful, our reviewer concluded. Sister Wendy Beckett (1930 - 2018) was the unlikely star of art history documentary programs on the BBC. We never missed her in our house. Nicknamed the Art Nun, she offered eloquent and down-to-earth commentary that made art accessible to everyone. BBC. This book, entitled The Iconic Jesus, takes the reader through scenes from the New Testament, accompanied by Beckett's reflections. Sister Wendy, a clever and perceptive woman, was herself aware of the contradiction and struggled to square the circle, some times more successfully than others. Her most ambitious series, Sister Wendys Story of Painting, took her 30,000 miles through Europe, the Middle East and the United States, to survey works ranging from prehistoric cave paintings in France to the masterpieces of Picasso and the Pop Art of Andy Warhol. "[5], Beckett was born in the Union of South Africa, but was later raised in Edinburgh, Scotland where her father was studying medicine. Aamna Mohdin. I know that the way God gives himself to me is not the way he gives himself to most people, and its no good just talking about God and me., Sometimes, I wake up breathless with wonder at what God has given me, she said. Los Angeles, Stranger Things play that may hold key to the end taking 1959 Hawkins to West End, Commentary: Now hiring! [13], Beckett required medical treatment as an outpatient at a local hospital.[when?] Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information, Becketts provocative and witty commentaries, Travis Scott is sought by New York Police after alleged assault and criminal mischief, Review: Michael B. Jordan is the one to fly now with Creed III, Unlike Andor, Mandalorian is going all in on Star Wars lore. Like Sister Wendy, I believe that art is for everyone. Sister Wendy eventually wrote some 25 books, including collections of poetry and meditations, and made a dozen documentaries, many released on DVD. Destructive 'Super Pigs' From Canada Threaten the Northern U.S. Did an Ancient Magnetic Field Reversal Cause Chaos for Life on Earth 42,000 Years Ago? Postcards from God: The Sister Wendy Musical, created by Marcus Reeves, ran briefly and camply in a small West End venue. sister wendy beckett by TIM - YouTube thoughts about sister Wendy Beckett who died on 26th December thoughts about sister Wendy Beckett who died on 26th December. The series was a hit, and Sister Wendy, a habit-wearing consecrated virgin with a speech impediment, became the most unlikeliest of stars. As he drove his spear through her throat, she said, their eyes met, and he saw how young she was and how lovely and brave. She died at the Carmelite Monastery in Quidenham at the age of 88. Sister Wendy speaking about the true meaning of Christmas and iconography (video originally published in 2010). She was, the Church Times TV critic at that time, David Johnson, observed, an unself-conscious natural for television. She taught in Cape Town, South Africa, and Liverpool in northern England. I find myself saying to myself firmly that I might not have been interested or excited or challenged by what Ive seen, she said on a rare trip to London in 2008 to see an exhibition by those on the Turner Prize shortlist, but the artists who made these installations must have been. Two other series on art, Sister Wendys Grand Tour (1994) and Sister Wendys Story of Painting (1997), appeared on the BBC and were soon shown throughout Europe. Her novelty may have also worn off for commissioners in Britain, for her subsequent attempt to return to our screens to present a short series on Orthodox icons, a great passion, failed to find a taker. A visitor to the Carmel, the cook and devout Catholic Delia Smith, was so impressed by Sister Wendys writing that in the late 80s she persuaded the Catholic Herald newspaper to publish them as a weekly series. In the early 1970s, she was released from her vows as a Sister of Notre Dame and changed her religious status to consecrated virgin, with the blessing of the Vatican. She began living in a caravan on the grounds of a Carmelite monastery at Quidenham, Norfolk, and her caravan was later replaced by a mobile home. [32], In 1993, Sister Wendy recorded an abridged audio version of Revelations of Divine Love by Julian of Norwich. One of her last programs was Sister Wendy at the Norton Simon Museum, which aired in October 2002. Brigit Katz is a freelance writer based in Toronto. As Catholics enter into Lent, a season that we mark by acts of both repentance and service, it is worth considering how we might move from alarm at antisemitism to action. In order to earn money for her convent, she agreed to do a television series about fine art for the BBC, and she quickly became famous. In a 2000 interview with PBS, she explained her appreciation of non-Christian religious art: all great religions are great because theyre based upon the longings of the human heart. Schoolchildren ran to her side when they saw her crossing the county museums plaza. Submit an Obituary . There was always something contradictory about a nun, who had devoted her life to solitude and contemplation (since 1970 in a caravan in the grounds of the enclosed Carmelite monastery at Quidenham in Norfolk), but who also managed to slip away from the cloister to make large-scale TV series on (in the eyes of the world, if not Sister Wendy herself) non-religious subjects. In the 1990s she became one of the most unlikely television stars. There was no big Should I give up the caravan to do television? or Am I spoiling my hermit life? she recalled in her book Sister Wendy on Prayer (2006). She died at the Carmelite Monastery in Quidenham at the age of 88. She knew many of these artworks only from reproductions, and the part of the shows magic was capturing the moment she encountered these works for the first time in person. Viewers were astonished and delighted, especially by some of her uninhibited expressions of rapture. Sister Wendy was definitely not what you would expect in either an art critic or a television personality. Sister Wendy was well educated, but not in art history. 4) by Franz Schubert, her chosen book was "an enormous book of logical puzzles", and her luxury item was a "refrigerated tabernacle". The saints are the people, weak and imperfect like ourselves, who said a total Yes to Gods love. A word that appears frequently is unwanted. She prayed seven hours a day and went out only to morning Mass or to a mobile library van for books. Please refer to the appropriate style manual or other sources if you have any questions. 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