Sin

Henrietta Armstrong, Nicola Bealing, Kate Lyddon, Joe Hesketh, Gillian Potkins, Rebecca Scott, Stella Whalley, Mark Woods

Curated by Rebecca Scott

The Seven Deadly Sins (also known as the Capital Vices or Cardinal Sins) function as a grouping of major vices within the teachings of Christianity. The list which became formalized in the 6th Century by Pope Gregory I is Lust, Gluttony, Greed, Sloth, Wrath, Envy and Pride. These sins are often considered “deadly” because they are believed to be the root causes from which other sins and vices develop.

What is Sin? Used for over a thousand years, the current form of the word comes from Middle English sinne, derived from the Old English syn. The original meanings of sin were largely concerned with religious matters: “an offense against religious or moral law”; “a transgression of the law of God”(1) and are still used to this day.

Are these Sins still relevant? In 1993 Australian artist Susan Dorothea White created The Seven Deadly Sins of Modern Times, inspired by the Table of the Seven Deadly Sins, 1505-1510 by Hieronymus Bosch. This acrylic painting on a wooden table is where she proposes today’s deadly sins, the opposite of the original. Indifference replacing Anger, Self-effacement replaces Pride/Vanity, Celibacy replaces Lust, Workaholism in place of Sloth, Dieting replaces Gluttony, Squandering replaces Avarice/Greed and Sucking-up replaces Envy. White explains: “I reversed the tradition sins, replacing each with its antonym because the opposite extremes are just as ‘deadly’.”(2)

It seems that whether it is the original sins or a newer alternative, all are a commentary on the human condition – good or bad. This exhibition brings together Henrietta Armstrong, Nicola Bealing, Kate Lyddon, Joe Hesketh, Gillian Potkins, Rebecca Scott, Stella Whalley and Mark Woods, all who have used aspects of these sins within their practice.

Free

Thursday 12-5pm – Friday 12-5pm – Saturday 12-5pm