‘The Movement’ Brings Beautiful Art To Grand Crossing

Sculptor Abiola Akintola and Pastor John Hannah at the unveiling of The Movement. PHOTO PROVIDED BY D. WILLIAMS PUBLIC RELATIONS & EVENT MANAGEMENT GROUP.
Sculptor Abiola Akintola and Pastor John Hannah at the unveiling of The Movement. PHOTO PROVIDED BY D. WILLIAMS PUBLIC RELATIONS & EVENT MANAGEMENT GROUP.

‘The Movement’ Brings Beautiful Art To Grand Crossing

By Tia Carol Jones

On a sunny afternoon, the sun reflects off the metal sculptures in front of New Life Covenant Church Southeast. Titled “The Movement,” the sculpture depicts different kinds of movement that was recently unveiled in the Grand Crossing neighborhood. 

The New Life Covenant Church and Theatre, which is located at 7621 S. Greenwood, was completed three and a half years ago. At the time it opened, The Reverend John Hannah, Pastor of New Life Covenant Church, said he wanted it to be a light to the community and serve as a symbol of hope. With The Movement, Hannah wants to encourage people in the community to “keep it moving.”

Hannah has known The Movement’s sculptor Abiola Akintola for years. During a tour of the facility, Akintola said he wanted to create something. They collaborated on an idea for pieces that would depict different kinds of movement. 

“I love the arts, I love dance. We talked about different pieces moving,” Hannah said.

Akintola called in members of the church’s dance ministry to dance and pose so he could sketch them for the sculptures. Three and a half years later, Akintola created the seven sculptures which show different postures, stretches, poses and movements. 

Hannah said since the unveiling, he has placed two benches in front of the sculptures. He sat there and watched cars stop and people get out to take pictures.

“Just to see people coming from everywhere, just to view it and get a picture of it, it is doing exactly what I wanted it to do. I wanted it to encourage people,” he said.

Hannah said he also wanted to bring people to the Grand Crossing neighborhood. He said the piece is titled the Movement because it’s a part of the movement the church is doing in the community. The church has invested $15 million in the community. Hannah is thinking about how he can bring businesses, grocery stores and people to the community. His goal is to revitalize the community and encourage businesses and organizations to occupy the community and do something amazing there.

Hannah said that everyone who has seen the piece is awe struck by it. They didn’t expect it to be as large as it is. The base that it sits on is four feet tall and the largest sculpture is around nine feet. He said at night, lights that change color come on, which illuminates the sculpture.

“It is breathtaking and those that stood there were holding their breath because they couldn’t believe this is now here on 76th and Greenwood,” he said.

Hannah said in the three and a half years since the church and theatre opened, it has been amazing. As a venue called Greenwood Oasis, there have been plays and concerts in the building, which is exactly what it was designed for, to bring the arts back to the South Side of Chicago.

“I want it to be a safe space for creative people. I want it to be a space where people can come in on the church side and have a God encounter, and then, on the Oasis side have a life encounter,” he said.

As a creative, Hannah said there is something that happens when creative people are around creative people. While the sculpture is outside the building, inside there is art that Hannah has collected from his travels, including art from Lagos, Ghana, and South Africa. The goal is to create a safe space where people can see art from all over the world.

For more information about New Life Covenant Church, visit newlifesoutheast.org.


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