'Why Christians Need Art'
By: Kim Moreland|Published: September 8, 2010 12:23 PM
Jeff Morton, professor of art at Covenant College, identifies three reasons why Christians need art.
In his presentation, Morton mentions art critic Arthur Danto. A number of years ago, we asked several scholars and artists to write about Christianity and the arts with Danto's book,
After the End of Art as a starting place.
I thought you might like to read these thoughtful articles.
David Naugle,
After the End of ArtJerry Eisley,
Is Art Dead or Just Missing?Karen Mulder,
Dauntingly Dantoid Crystal Downing,
After the End of MonsterGene Edward Veith,
Art After 9/11David Goa,
The Public Square and the Culture of AmnesiaT. M. Moore,
Theology and the Arts in the Biblical Worldview
Comments:
PS What can one Christian who wants to produce quality post y2k art do??? He could win this contest, win a showing at the Brooklyn Art Museum, and then draw in an unexpectedly large (and diverse) crowd to the Brooklyn Art Museum...to see his works!
See Episode 1 of Bravo TVs "Work of ARt-The Next Great Artist..." It's done and probably you can view episodes online. Notably, see the last two...Abdi has made a drop dead stunning pic for the "Nature" episode ... And then Abdi WINS in the last episode.
Most episodes of the whole 9 or 10 episode series were quite fascinating education on---how NYC art judges---judge. (Each contestant has to create an artork to fit a certain theme...someone is sent home...
(Note- When they had Serrano in to help judge one episode of the series- the guy who got fame (infamy)for his "Piss Christ" crucifix in urine...many of the students' art REALLY declined in quality...!
When they had better sources of inspiration (like a childrens' museum00or like cover art to be produced for a classic novel) the artwork quality (overall) went up.
I was moatly amazed by two things
1. Sometimes the NYC art judges were incredibly random...I felt like the little girl who saw the Emperor in his underwear...
2. Sometimes truth & beauty peeked through...Peregrine...the girl who saw possibly creepy things in her hippie commune young childhood...the girl who said she regularly scanned porn for "inspiration"...when she sought BETTER sources of inspiration (such as the Fawn Fetuses...she had photographed...two fawns taken from a mother deer...her art improved.
2. ABDI- the Christian kid - was overwhelmingly favored by most of us responders...And he won.
See his webside abdiart.com. I don't want to make too big a deal of this, but the guy dug and listened...to the art critics...to the words he read in his Bible...He was personable and well loved...I like most of his art on his site, notably his illustrated book about the Sickle Cell Anemia doctor who (himself) has the disease.
And seeing how art is being treated in the secular world, gives all the more reason why Christians should understand this subject.