From 3rd-century depictions to a Star Trek nativity, the art form never ceases to evolve.
Christian art
Sculpture of Homeless Jesus Sparks Controversy
When it comes to religious art, depictions of Jesus tend to feature him as saintly, reverential, floating above mere mortals or healing them with his touch (or he’s a baby). But a sculpture by artist Timothy P. Schmalz shows Jesus as a homeless man wrapped in a blanket, asleep on a bench.
“Hug Me Jesus” Resurrected, But What Does it Mean?
In Monroe, Ohio at Solid Rock Church there was a giant statue of Jesus with arms wide open toward Interstate-75. That was until 2010, in what some could consider divine comedy, the statue was struck by lighting and promptly burst into flames, leaving nothing but it’s skeletal remains behind. Although safely situated in New York, and San Francisco now, I can look back and laugh at the absurdity of these giant sculptures, there is a real seriousness around them. As the election debates increasingly circle around issues of religious dogma, mostly surrounding women’s and queer rights, these statues are not to be ignored or laughed off.
The Power of Luxury at the Metropolitan Museum
The Met’s Byzantium and Islam: Age of Transition is a treat for viewers who appreciate the ways that power and continuity are expressed in both luxury items and everyday objects.