João Mendonça: 

“The message of Spiritism must come in many art forms to reach the hearts of those who need consolation and hope”

 The director of the Department of Spiritist Arts and Culture from the Spiritist Federation of the Brazilian Federal District tell us about
his early days in Spiritist art and highlights the need to
encourage the formation of new artists

	João Batista de Mendonça (photo) lives in the Brazilian capital, Brasília, where he is is the director of the Department of Spiritist Arts and Culture from the Spiritist Federation of the Federal District. He is also a member of the board of the Brazilian Association of Spirist Arts (ABRARTE). He is also co-author of the book published in 2014, “Arts in
the Spiritist Centre – Planning and Practice”, in which he talks about music and Spiritism.

What has prompted you to work with Spiritist art?

My family was always involved with music. My brother and my father used to play the guitar. I used to play electric bass and used to play alongside friends in bars in Brasília. When I began my involvement with Spiritism in Brasília, my friend Armando Reis lent me the keys to many Spiritist songs. I joined ABRARTE in 2009 and became an active member of the group of Spiritists from across Brazil who are involved in the arts, seeking new ways of encouraging this new movement.

What method do you employ in the preparation of your artwork?

I have invested a lot o my energy on the Alegria Cristã (Christian Happiness) project for children. After I became familiar with the repertoire I began working closely with the children, passing on the Christian message through music. The teaching process carries on in the classroom. I have learned a great deal from the message and I hope the young ones have learned them too.

What is your assessment of the production of Spiritist art at the moment?

After meeting the brothers and sisters from ABRARTE, I can say that the future of the arts in the Spiritist Movement is in with the youth movement. That is where most of the artwork comes from. We have seen great development in recent year, but there is a long way to go.

What are the main obstacles you are still facing?

I believe that one of the biggest challenges is the lack of knowledge of the importance of the arts in the life of a Spirit in its process of education and development. Spiritist books and magazines have always reminded us of the importance of the arts for Spirtism. Allan Kardec’s Spiritist Magazine published many articles about arts. Emmanuel says in “O Consolador” (The Consoler), question 161, that the artist must be the “medium of the eternal beauties”. André Luiz shows in his books, including “Nosso Lar” (Our Home) artistic activities in many levels and forms. In the Gospel in the Home at the house of Laura, in his book, Lísias and his sisters are play musical instruments before communicating with the father, who was already incarnated. Spiritist literature is an incentive to me to work on Spiritist art. What we really need to do it to study, otherwise we will be left only with prejudices and misconceptions. We need to continue to study the subject and those in charge of the Spiritist Movement need to pay more attention to this aspect. The largely disregarded work of Eurípedes Barsanulfo in the Allan Kardec school in Sacramento is a good example of applying the arts to help spiritual development.

What are your plans for the future, particularly regarding Spiritist art?

My dream is the day when well produced arts events will be integrated with other events, not only in Spiritist Centres, but also on the stages of theatres, schools, old people’s homes and nurseries, with the message of Spiritism coming in many art forms to reach the hearts of those who need consolation and hope. 

What is your final message to our readers? 

As we are all immortal Spirits, we will, one day, come to the point where we will practice art as a way of building a successful life in many aspects. The biggest artist we have knows is our Master Jesus, who participated in the construction of the earth, which is pure poetry. Look, hear and feel those who have artistic sense in themselves. And we all do, because the Creater gives us that all the time!