Dunne’s talk “The artist’s dilemma” explained that the Rennaissance emphasis on the surface of things, was very present in Christian art today. “We have inherited styles of art from the Renaissance. During that period, the emphasis changed from the inward looking to the surface.”

“Then there was an emphasis on perspective and the idealising of the figures. In Vermeer’s Martha and Mary the three figures, Martha, Mary and Christ are all like beautiful models – a typical Renaissance naturalistic work”.

This is in contrast to pre Renaissance art which was more “expressionistic” said Mr Dunne. In Giotto’s ‘Lamentation, for example, there are no dimensions or perspective. “Everything is moving towards Christ”.

“People go for ‘naturalism’ – art they can see and understand which focuses on the surface of things. But the pity is that when you just focus on showing something as it is, you forget that there is a reality underneath that image,” he said.

Dunne, a member of the Nazareth Commmunity, and renowned Irish painter described this as “the artist’s dilemma”. “We have to find a style that expresses the underlying reality, the ultimate concern of painting in life. If we don’t realise that, we lose our grip on reality.”

Mary Delaney was at the conference which lasted a morning. “As soon as I walked into the Music room in Christchurch I felt at ‘home’,” said Mary. “There were four speakers, two Academic and two Contemporary Artists. I was very impressed with the content. Beauty/Arts can offer a credible experience of the Divine in a society that sometimes feels it doesn’t need this.”