SANITISED ART, SANITISED GOD
I could not believe what I was reading:
parishioners of a Wellington Catholic Church petitioned Chorus
to obliterate a work of art on a broadband box because it was 'not happy'.
One man commented that the painting was a “monstrosity and an offence to the Catholic Church.”
parishioners of a Wellington Catholic Church petitioned Chorus
to obliterate a work of art on a broadband box because it was 'not happy'.
One man commented that the painting was a “monstrosity and an offence to the Catholic Church.”
BROADBAND BOX PAINTED BY KARIN MCCOMB-JONES
Do we sanitise the human condition because it affects our sensibilities?
Because it challenges or provokes us?
Because it does not fit in with our personal views of the world?
Because we do not want to feel uncomfortable?
Is God found only in 'happy art'?
Shall we whitewash Picasso's 'Guernico' or Munch's 'The Scream' or Van Gogh's 'Self Portrait With Bandaged Ear' because they do not reflect 'happiness'?
Because it challenges or provokes us?
Because it does not fit in with our personal views of the world?
Because we do not want to feel uncomfortable?
Is God found only in 'happy art'?
Shall we whitewash Picasso's 'Guernico' or Munch's 'The Scream' or Van Gogh's 'Self Portrait With Bandaged Ear' because they do not reflect 'happiness'?
One of the foundational stories of the Christian faith is the cruel torture and execution of a solitary Jew. We do a sensational job of sanitising that, too.
Jesus would have been crucified naked.
He would have writhed in absolute, excruciating, unimaginable agony.
Clean, non-threatening crucifixes adorn our walls.
Jesus would have been crucified naked.
He would have writhed in absolute, excruciating, unimaginable agony.
Clean, non-threatening crucifixes adorn our walls.
GUIDO ROCHA'S "THE TORTURED CHRIST"
Just look at Guido Rocha's 'The Tortured Christ'.
Why isn't this image hanging in every Catholic Church?
Then we would have to confront the reality of our human condition.
It certainly would not be so bland that we do not notice it.
We may even be motivated to compassion; to revulsion; to action; to anger; to prayer.
We may be driven to do what Jesus did …
encounter the outcasts; the exiled; the excluded; the dispossessed; the impoverished,
and give them hope, new life, justice, inclusion.
Is there any chance of this when we find an artist's impression of a child at play offensive?
I read once that “Art is not the mirror that reflects the world but the hammer that shapes it.”
Well, it certainly has that potential.
All art has the innate ability to draw us toward the consummate artist – God.
But only if we human beings don't hijack it and manipulate it as a tool of indoctrination; propaganda;
white-washing and 'feel-goodness'.
Sometimes what is revealed is our own inadequacies, narrow-vision and petty-mindedness.
Are we ready to confront this in ourselves?
What a missed opportunity this was!
Dialogue between artist, parishioners and community.
A tour of The Learning Connexion to understand the context of this piece of art.
A retreat to explore images of God revealed in human beings.
A reading and discussion of John Paul 11's 'Letter To Artists', and its application to this situation.
A scripture study and reflection on Exodus 31:1-11 and Exodus 35:30 – 36:2,
investigating the role of artists and artisans in communicating 'God'.
A time to meditate on what happiness is.
But instead, there was anger and whitewash.
A sad day for artists.
A sad day for Catholics.
A sad day for God.
RESOURCES:
Article: CathNewsNZ http://cathnews.co.nz/
Artist: Karin McCombe-Jones www.karinmccombejones-artist.com
Letter to Artists: http://www.vatican.va/holy_father/john_paul_ii/letters/documents/hf_jp-ii_let_23041999_artists_en.html
Letter to Julie: www.heartfeltdolls.weebly.com
Art school 'The Learning Connexion': http://tlc.ac.nz/
Why isn't this image hanging in every Catholic Church?
Then we would have to confront the reality of our human condition.
It certainly would not be so bland that we do not notice it.
We may even be motivated to compassion; to revulsion; to action; to anger; to prayer.
We may be driven to do what Jesus did …
encounter the outcasts; the exiled; the excluded; the dispossessed; the impoverished,
and give them hope, new life, justice, inclusion.
Is there any chance of this when we find an artist's impression of a child at play offensive?
I read once that “Art is not the mirror that reflects the world but the hammer that shapes it.”
Well, it certainly has that potential.
All art has the innate ability to draw us toward the consummate artist – God.
But only if we human beings don't hijack it and manipulate it as a tool of indoctrination; propaganda;
white-washing and 'feel-goodness'.
Sometimes what is revealed is our own inadequacies, narrow-vision and petty-mindedness.
Are we ready to confront this in ourselves?
What a missed opportunity this was!
Dialogue between artist, parishioners and community.
A tour of The Learning Connexion to understand the context of this piece of art.
A retreat to explore images of God revealed in human beings.
A reading and discussion of John Paul 11's 'Letter To Artists', and its application to this situation.
A scripture study and reflection on Exodus 31:1-11 and Exodus 35:30 – 36:2,
investigating the role of artists and artisans in communicating 'God'.
A time to meditate on what happiness is.
But instead, there was anger and whitewash.
A sad day for artists.
A sad day for Catholics.
A sad day for God.
RESOURCES:
Article: CathNewsNZ http://cathnews.co.nz/
Artist: Karin McCombe-Jones www.karinmccombejones-artist.com
Letter to Artists: http://www.vatican.va/holy_father/john_paul_ii/letters/documents/hf_jp-ii_let_23041999_artists_en.html
Letter to Julie: www.heartfeltdolls.weebly.com
Art school 'The Learning Connexion': http://tlc.ac.nz/
