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Art is a reflection of culture. Art is demonstrated in many mediums: narrative (story), music, poetry, visual, and performance. And what is culture? “Culture refers to the cumulative deposit of knowledge, experience, beliefs, values, attitudes, meanings, hierarchies, religion, notions of time, roles, spatial relations, concepts of the universe, and material objects and possessions acquired by a group of people in the course of generations through individual and group striving.” Thus it only makes sense that art would reflect the culture of religion. Of course, many religious people don’t see religion as an element of, or even its own culture. It’s funny to me that when we are in the middle of something, it is so much harder to see it for what it is. When you are in the middle it just seems like it is, like it’s the right thing that always was and always will be. But that’s only when you are on the inside. And I wonder what it might be like if we were able to step outside a bit more and see ourselves and the reflections of our beliefs better. Would we like what we see?
In his book, “The Sacred Gaze”, David Morgan attempts to create an interdisciplinary view of religion, art, culture and sociology through visual studies. He argues that “the study of visual culture should, therefore, be dedicated to studying the image as historical evidence of seeing and to studying seeing as a form of thought and action, an array of social practices that everything to do with the social construction of reality.” And what is the “sacred gaze”? When we view an image, we interpret it through our experiences, values, beliefs, traditions, and perceptions. When we consider an object as a reflection of our spiritual views, we not only build upon our personal ideas, but those that have been shaped by our religious, cultural, and national values and beliefs. This is the sacred gaze: the individual and collective experience of the object in its context.
At this point I must pause and confess, I got hung up a lot while reading Morgan’s work. I get what he was getting at. History and the values that shape our perception of history is reflected in art. The shift of prominence of certain images over time reflect a change in values and perceptions. Studying this can produce a greater understanding of both religion (as it changes over time) and culture.
And then I just kept staring at this white space on my laptop. I took a break. Walked away. Came back. Taught a class. Walked away. Came back. Brain freeze.
Perhaps I struggle a bit with this because I’m a west coaster. You see, west coasters are part of perhaps one of the youngest cultures. My 110 year old house is close to as old as they get around here. Our traditions and attitudes are … not well formed. They are not rooted in a deep history. Which caused me to think more about the religious and other impacts of living and identifying with a young culture. I am more impacted by modern visual images. The religious images I grew up with I frequently thought were cheesy, or poorly done. I compare(d) them to the popular culture images and I found them lacking. The popular Christian images seemed to lessen God, make Him too human, too weak, too passive…
So I sit here again, and I think to myself, “I got nothing.” But if I were an artist, I know what I would want to create. I would want to create images that show a holy, awesome and terrifying God (in the powerful sense, not horror). I would want to create images of depth and joy and pain and healing that showed reconciliation. Big images, Powerful. But not cheesy. Why? Because those images would reflect my beliefs, my understanding of God, and that of the people I worship with. In my own young culture, however, I don’t find much of this. Perhaps that’s why I’m drawing a blank. Maybe I just haven’t had enough exposure to the good stuff. But I think maybe it could be amazing.
About the Author
Julie Dodge
Julie loves coffee and warm summer days. She is an Assistant Professor of Social Work at Concordia University, Portland, a consultant for non-profit organizations, and a leader at The Trinity Project.14 responses to “Blank”
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Julie, thanks so much for your honesty in your post. I must admit, there were times as I read Morgan that I was wondering what happened to the theme of the book (gender issues during the 19th Century? Really!). A few times I had to stop and remind myself that what Morgan was doing was creating an interpretive framework for art-historians to use art to understand mores and attitudes beneath the surface. And so, his romps through historical and sociological stories that went far afield of the actual focus might explain your “blank looks”! But, from a person who comes from that weird part of the world (the Mid-west) and who has studied history extensively, it tied together rather well…but I understand your hesitancy. That being said, could you tell me where you got to the quote for “culture” – it is so well stated. Thanks for an insightful post!
Thanks for your comments, John. I wonder too if I had a greater interest in history if that might increase my appreciation of some of Morgans work. I know art, though. In more f a visceral way. I know what moves me when I see it. And I love that.
By the way, for some reason when I copied my post to wordpress, it deleted my endnotes. I will get you the citation for the definition, though.
Hey John – here’s the citation for the culture definition: Larry A. Samovar and Richard E. Porter, Communication Between Cultures. 5th ed. Belmont, CA: Wadsworth Publishing Co., 2003, p. 8.
Julie, i wish you were an artist… I would love to see the picture you would paint of God… your words paint a picture that gave me chills.
I think words are my medium, Stefania. But I wish I could create the pictures too.
Despite the blank page, Julie, you managed to speak well into some of the questions that also challenged me. You mentioned that “When we consider an object as a reflection of our spiritual views, we not only build upon our personal ideas, but those that have been shaped by our religious, cultural, and national values and beliefs.” That is an excellent summary on Morgan’s book, thanks for expressing it in this manner. I wonder if one of the struggles that we face, living in young historic culture, is the pace and intensity of the images we are exposed to? Is it possible, that we have desensitized ourselves to the potential impact of art?
You ask great questions, Deve. I flip back and forth between wondering if I am desensitized, or if I never developed a deeper appreciation to start out with. But I know that I respond to certain images. They tend to be more recent, though; perhaps still reflective of my culture and short history, though being in the middle of it, perhaps I too fail to recognize it.
Julie, you said, “And then I just kept staring at this white space on my laptop. I took a break. Walked away. Came back. Taught a class. Walked away. Came back. Brain freeze.” It was at that time that you should have called me to have coffee! I totally understand, I too stared at white space on my laptop for a while. Yet, in spite of your “blank and brain freeze” like Deve, I appreciated your quote, “When we consider an object as a reflection of our spiritual views, we not only build upon our personal ideas, but those that have been shaped by our religious, cultural, and national values and beliefs.” This is something that I continued to think about as I read through the book. Still pondering…still gazing… Thanks, Julie.
You are so very right, Miriam. I should have called you for coffee. We still haven’t had our cup and I know that the clock is ticking.
Julie, brilliant and honest post. Thank you for sharing.
My house is 13 years old, so my history is shorter than yours. But thanks to my aesthetic wife, my wife is filled with art. My favorite room is the one that has art from all over the world: Egypt, Kenya, Haiti, Canada, and Native-American. I sometimes sit and look at these pieces and think about the depth in them, the time, the meanings, the tradition, the beauty. And it is then that I find myself feeling truly spiritual. Funny, but that is not true for me with most Western art. I, like you, often draw a blank when it comes to some images.
Also, if I were an artist, I would hope that my own art would be deep — not cheesy. Perhaps you and I will painters in the next life. I would love to see what air work looks like.
Funny, Bill. My old house is filled with art as well. Maybe not high art, nor western art, but art that when I look around the house, I remember where I have been (because I picked much of it up while traveling) or I think of other places (that I would like to go), or I see the connection of human life. I think that’s a good thing. It causes me to pause and reflect and consider. I suppose it enriches my gaze.
Like Deve and Miriam, but in a different manner, I noted your reference to the “white space on my laptop.” Taking this especially alongside your noted preference for the modern, I couldn’t help but think of this in relation to ‘modern art.’ I wonder what ‘messages’ a sacred gaze’ might see in your laptop’s white space? Certainly it has capacity to be a powerful image if so imbued. And, it rather moves aways from much of what you would note as “cheesy.” 🙂 All kinds of interpretive possibilities await.
Finally, I love your personalizing visuality as to how you would render belief. Really cool.
I want to offer a piece in return from my own orientation that is varied, but I believe complementary.
Power used wisely is key. We can’t escape the existence of power (many good people try & it backfires). To a certain extent, if I may, I see you as trying to use/represent power wisely when you talk of depicting God in God’s awesomeness. However, I tend to be concerned with portrayals of God’s awesomeness/power/majesty that don’t correspondingly note God’s choice of vulnerability (incarnation as an infant, crucifixion, etc.). Of course, I am certainly not suggesting that you do not normally do this and/or think that this is important too. I am only noting it wasn’t communicated here and am bringing my own personal concerns into your narrative as I have often seen people want God’s power and then decide to bequeath it upon themselves and then define themselves as God’s emissaries to enact such power — as you might imagine, causing significant harm to others while doing so.
Anyhow, again, I love your desire to offer aspects of God’s grandeur in your representations of God. As well, I know in your ongoing teaching of social concern for others you in so many ways embrace God’s characteristics of a “companion who suffers with.”
So, my above reflection is more about my ongoing concern with much of US majority culture that worships the Conquering King (and a skewed version of this at that), but not the Suffering Servant.
Thanks, Julie. Your post evoked some great reflections in me. I just might stare at the “white space on my laptop” for a bit. 😉
It is always interesting to me to read and hear and see other people’s impressions of what I teach or write. Your comments, Clint, raised two reflections for me. First, the lost piece of my communication, and second, the shared concern you raise.
For the first – I find it interesting that you saw the images of power in my description of the holy and awesome God, but not in the following sentence about pain, joy, healing and reconciliation. In my mind those are tender images (perhaps like the infant Christ, or the crucifixion) and equally as powerful. But that sentence, sandwiched between descriptive words that are perhaps more … strong or forceful … seemed to get lost. Such a miss raises for me multiple questions about my own choice of words (though lets face it, it was getting late and I simply needed to finish), how I am perceived and how that influences how others receive my message, and how I can continuously work to better communicate the whole story.
The other reflection is about that misunderstanding of power. That power is a thing to be grasped. That if we are truly faithful followers of God He is going to super-bless us with all kinds of stuff. There is a young man coming to an outreach that our church has, who has latched on to that super-promise theology. He believes that he is called by God to serve the homeless. Excellent start. But he is convinced that his ministry is going to be HUGE (because God always does big things) and all he needs to do it sit back and wait because God’s just going to make it happen. All he needs to do is pray and wait. It’s that spin on prosperity theology, that if it isn’t big, it isn’t real. And it breaks my heart. It’s that misalignment of truth. Of course we should pray. Of course any good work of service or ministry or whatever we do, comes from God. Of course God is able to do miracles. But we are not necessarily passive agents. And something doesn’t have to be ginormous to be amazing. But that right-wrong-black-white-absolute thinking can lead us to miss the subtle and beautiful ways that God works.
Thanks for making me think still more, Clint.
Hi Julie, after reading your blog I understood better how power images are to share the truth that might not be possible with other mediums. Your statement struck me, “The popular Christian images seemed to lessen God, make Him too human, too weak, too passive…” I admire your gift of discernment. Perhaps churches are afraid of being irrelevant, so they compromise to speak the truth in love. Thank you for your insights!