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Friday 11 September 2020

Artlyst: Of Church And The Visual Arts

My latest article for Artlyst is about artists for whom faith is front and centre in both their work and who they are as people, with this self-identification featuring prominently in exhibition promotion:

'One result of the somewhat fractious relationship between art and faith in the modern period has been the reality that artists have often not felt able to self-identify as believers and art which has a religious purpose or function has often not been exhibited. There have been exceptions, of course, including artists such as Maurice Denis, Georges Rouault and Alfred Manessier, as well as exhibitions like Perceptions of the Spirit in 20th Century American Art (1977) or Expressions of the Spirit in Contemporary Art (1982). The most overt owning of religious inspiration and practices has been among self-taught or outsider artists. This has also been where visual arts have come closest to artists with an evangelical faith for which proselytisation is a significant part of the faith framework.

The always-changing relationship between art and faith seems to be shifting again at present. I have written before about shifts in curatorial positions and the extent to which exhibitions exploring aspects of faith or tackling spiritual themes now seem to be the new normal, rather than the past exception. Exhibitions this year have also featured artists for whom faith is front and centre in both their work and who they are as people. This self-identification has featured in exhibition promotion and has not inhibited the awarding of one significant prize.'

My other Artlyst pieces are:

Interviews:
Articles:
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The Voices Of East Harlem - Simple Song Of Freedom.
Posted by Jonathan Evens at 07:45
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