In this featured program, Joseph Becherer, Director of the Raclin Murphy Museum or Art and Curator of Sculpture, will moderate a conversation between Reverend Austin Collins, C.S.C., and Revered Martin Lam Nguyen, C.S.C., two beloved members of the Notre Dame and Congregation of Holy Cross communities. They will discuss the dual call both to the religious and the artistic life.
Fr. Collins serves as the Vice President for Mission Engagement and Church Affairs at the University of Notre Dame and has been a faculty member in the Department of Art, Art History, and Design since 1985. As a sculptor, Fr. Collins’s area of practice includes public art, large outdoor sculpture, installation art, and liturgical art, often with a focus on political and social issues. His more than 140 exhibitions include works at Notre Dame and other universities nationwide as well as the Frederik Meijer Gardens and Sculpture Park in Grand Rapids, Michigan.
Fr. Ngyuen joined the faculty of the Department of Art, Art History, and Design at the University of Notre Dame in 1995. Fr. Nguyen creates large-scale works in drawing and various painting media. His works are site-specific installations, designed to provide a contemplative space for viewers to examine people and events of the past that are still alive in one’s memory.
Against the backdrop of our fall exhibition, Through the Lens of Father Francis Browne, S.J.: Photographic Adventures of an Irish Priest, this discussion will explore the unique, intersectional space of religious life and artistic expression that both Fr. Collins and Fr. Nguyen inhabit. Father Browne's photographic legacy offers a rich context for this dialogue, showcasing how spirituality can shape and inspire artistic vision. Fr. Collins and Fr. Nguyen will share their experiences and insights on how religious life influences their creative processes and how their art serves as a conduit for spiritual reflection and communal connection.
Before the lecture in the Atrium, we encourage you to explore the work of Father Browne on view in the Temporary Exhibition Galleries on Level 2. The exhibition will remain open until the lecture begins.