Agony in the Garden
Jim Strong
Friday, January 9, 2026 - Sunday, February 15, 2025
Opening Reception: Friday, January 9, 2026 6-10pm
Opening Reception: Friday, January 9th | 6pm-10pm
ABOUT THE EXHIBITION
Agony in the Garden is an exhibition and temporary chapel space designed to honor seasons of change which strip away our foundations to reveal the solid ground. Developed in response to the recent deaths of beloved friends, it also marks the conclusion of ten years of exhibitions and programming at Vox Populi Gallery.
In the story of Christ’s agony in the Garden of Gethsemane, he experiences such grief that miraculous fonts of blood pour from his skin, becoming the mysterious words of surrender: “Thy will be done.” But first he asks, “Will you take this cup from me?”
Spanning Galleries 1 and 2, This exhibition begins by holding the paradoxical invitation grief offers: that we might lean into our growing edges of trust, making any needed petitions for help, protection, and guidance. In doing so, the process of grieving opens us to a lattice of past wounds which come to us in veils, often through dreams and sensations in the body. As an Extant part of this work, the show is infused with Lattices, Wounds, Gardens, Veils and populated with creatures. Mutter/Matter/Mother/Matrix/Wombs- paraphrasing, Jakob Boehme ("True Yieldedness”, 1622). Strong’s paintings are conceived without touch, allowing evaporation to form images as residual skins that blush with the interiorities of angels, animals, plants, and missing texts. The results are both tied to the synesthetic associations of spiritual abstraction in painting but also feel as a system, like some alternative universe of early photographic/ alchemical production. Each work is housed in a many-eared wooden reliquary, like Ezekiel’s vision of wheels within wheels, somehow diverted toward that most strange of appendages. The installation ends in the garden chapel, where viewers are greeted by roses, large mice, donkeys, lambs, rabbits, books and a few friendly saints carved from rotting tree limbs.
Please check the gallery’s website for a full calendar of events, including bereavement counseling, somatic awareness, medieval herbalism, rosary circle and silent meeting for worship in the manner of Friends.
ABOUT THE ARTIST
Jim Strong is an artist and musician whose body of work spans painting, sculpture, musical instrument invention, performance, writing and publishing – Often merging these elements into works and environments, which humorously frame the artist's faith, confusions, friendships and dreams.
He has created site-specific work for the National Liberty Museum, The Philadelphia Flower Show and Rhizome DC. He has exhibited at Vox Populi Gallery and Space 1026 in Philadelphia, Platform Project Space in New York City, The Center for New Music in San Francisco, CA and Hudson House in Hudson, NY. He has performed music and screened work internationally notably at RAUMERWEITERUNGSHALLE (Berlin-Friedrichshain) CPH:DOX (Copenhagen, DK), Unrequited Leisure (Knoxville, TN). His music has been released by Horn of Plenty (UK), Vitrine (US), More Mars (Greece) and Chocolate Monk, (UK). He operates the experimental music label, COR ARDENS and under constantly shifting pretexts, has organized events and workshops in abandoned graveyards, school auditoriums and exhibition spaces throughout the Philadelphia area. (@jiim_strong)
Agony in the Garden Programming Calendar
(All programming taking place in the Agony in the Garden Chapel, Gallery 3)
January 9 - First Friday Opening 6-10pm
Opening prayer and consecration of the exhibition, Agony in the Garden to the inborn motions of Divine and Eternal Love within the heart, by the artist, his family and Michael Therese McQueen, OCP (Contemplative Order of Compassion) and more tba
+ Pony will read swedenborg and play harmonium, Jim will wear only one shoe and pour people violet wine while play Violin
Special exhibition beverage inspired by Hildegard of Bingens book "Physica" but with more Blue ingredients. Violet Wine for Melancholy and a discontented mind which harms the lungs Main Ingredients: Galingale, Licorice, Violets, Wine
January 13 - 7pm
The Sacred work of Grief: an experiential workshop
An experiential workshop facilitated by licensed Bereavement Counselor, Jeffrey T. Barg, MSS, LCSW which will invite participants to honor and approach whatever grief they may be holding with radical presence and worshipful attention.
Facilitator: Jeffrey T. Barg, MSS, LCSW
January 23 - 7pm
an evening with Timothy Grieve Carlson
Author of “American Aurora: Environment and Apocalypse in the life of Johannes Kelpius” (2024)
Carlson will be presenting a new lecture entitled “Have nothing, Enjoy All: Art, Asceticism and Inner Alchemy” conceived in response to the exhibitions themes. Additionally, the evening will touch on the spiritual and anomalous legacies of Philadelphia and Southeastern Pennsylvania drawn from his research on Early Pennsylvania Mystic, Johannes Kelpius and other Early American Religious Utopian communities.
January 30 - 6pm
Rosary Circle
We will pray the rosary together, open to people of any faith who would like to explore the contemplative mysteries of the rosary and the blessed mother
Facilitator: Michael Therese McQueen OCP (Contemplative order of Compassion)
February 4 - 12pm
A place to grieve
A guided tour into the heart of the underworld. Bring a mug and a stone.
Facilitator: Mirra Esther
February 8 - 4-6pm
Return home within and Dwell in the light: Inward Communion, Silent Worship in the manner of Friends (Quakers, Children of the light)
An open period of silent worship in which we wait in God's presence among us as by a warm fire - gathering “with hearts knit together in love” (Colossians 2:2). An opportunity to set aside the noise of our busy lives and our preconceived thoughts to return home within and dwell in the light.
Facilitators: Liadhaín Saoirse Reilly and Jim Strong
February 6 - Second First Friday
Scar Talk
Scars are often referred to as disorganized fascia that adheres tissues and disrupts movement pathways. But what do the scars have to say about this? Nicole Bindler has developed a performance practice in which she animates her scars as characters, allowing them to do the talking. Their stories and opinions can often be quite surprising. In this presentation, she will share her findings from years of listening to her scars, and sharing their joys, traumas, and desires with audiences. She will offer techniques for attendees to develop their own scar-talk practice if they wish. Everyone is encouraged to bring their tender parts, imagination, and sense of play
Facilitator: Nicole Bindler
February 14
Second Energy Christmas, Valentines Day Love Feast
February 15 - Closing
