Forefront 360

Review: Justin Bieber's "Freedom" EP

Cody and Rich review Justin Bieber's new (explicitly Christian) EP "Freedom."

Discussion: Are Video Games Art?

Rich, Cody, and special guest Aaron Lowin discuss whether video games count as "art."

Interview: Makoto Fujimura

“You can walk on water if you are painting it.” 

Forefront leaders Nate Mancini and Rich Christman had the opportunity to speak with renowned artist Makoto Fujimura about the intersection of art and faith. In this far-reaching conversation, they talk about Mako’s routines & practices, his slow process of creation, how artists can bring God’s abundance to a world of scarcity, and ultimately, how Christ is deeply present in our experiences of darkness & trauma. 

As a special bonus, we conclude with some audience questions from artists like singer/songwriter Sandra McCracken and tap dancer Andrew Nemr.

Makoto Fujimura (b. 1960, Boston) is a leading contemporary artist whose process driven, refractive “slow art” has been described by David Brooks of New York Times as “a small rebellion against the quickening of time”. 

Fujimura’s art has been featured widely in galleries and museums around the world, and is collected by notable collections including The Museum of Contemporary Art in Tokyo, The Huntington Library as well as Tikotin Museum in Israel. 

Fujimura is also an arts advocate, writer, and speaker who is recognized worldwide as a cultural influencer. A Presidential appointee to the National Council on the Arts from 2003-2009, Fujimura served as an international advocate for the arts, speaking with decision makers and advising governmental policies on the arts.

Fujimura founded the International Arts Movement in 1992, now IAMCultureCare, which oversees the Fujimura Institute. Most recently, he co-founded the Kintsugi Academy.

We are honored to share this special interview.

Arts Review: East of Eden, Turkish music, Fleet Foxes

In this new arts review episode:

• Nate reads a passage from East of Eden by John Steinbeck
• Zack discusses music by Brenna MacCrimmon and Selim Sesler
• Rich reviews "Shore" by Fleet Foxes

 

Review: Pixar's "Soul"

Cody, Rich and Nate review Pixar's latest film, "Soul." What were the best moments? Was the film overstuffed? What does it try to "say" about the spiritual realm, and do those ideas align with a Christian worldview? And finally, what are the top 5 Pixar films of all time?

Interview: Victoria Moore

Zack talks to Victoria Moore about all things music therapy — what it is, why it works, and how it integrates with her faith and life experience.

Review: Christopher Nolan's "Tenet"

The Forefront team gathers to review Christopher Nolan's new film "Tenet" as well as reflect on Nolan's entire filmography. 

0:00 - introduction

3:15 - thoughts on the theatrical experience

14:23 - spoiler review of Tenet

44:42 - Nolan's filmography

Special: Ben Myers Breakout & Discussion

At Forefront Festival: Virtual, Dr. Benjamin Myers ran a breakout on "incarnational diction" in writing and poetry. In this special episode, listen to the audio from the breakout followed by a discussion by the Forefront Festival team.

Discussion: Should Christians Watch Tarantino Movies?

The Forefront team — along with special guest Chris Widmer — gathers to discuss the question "Should Christians watch Tarantino movies?" Along the way they consider what sorts of objectionable content are acceptable, whether Tarantino movies have a sense of justice, and to what extent morality is objective vs subjective...and of course, they rank their favorite Quentin Tarantino movies and sequences.

Arts Review: Adorning the Dark, Avatar: The Last Airbender, Prince

The Forefront team gathers for a new arts review.

• Nate reviews the book Adorning the Dark by Andrew Peterson
• Rich reviews the TV series Avatar: The Last Airbender
• Cody talks about the song The Cross by Prince (found on the Spiritual Songs playlist by Josh Garrels)