Art and faith

[KitSileya]

I just came back from doing the Stations of the Cross and evening Mass. This Lent is the first time I've done the Stations of the Cross properly, and I've been discovering the spirituality of it. I think part of my problem has been that my previous parish church had some awful modern art Stations made from newspaper collages with water color paint on top. I am completely convinced that if someone came in the middle of the night and switched the Stations around, nobody would notice. I know that the artist, Haakon Bleken, is nationally recognized, and also made the other art in the church in 1973, but I still don't like it.

It has certainly made me aware of how important the visual expression of the faith in church is. Perhaps it is the old-fashioned part of me, but I prefer art where you can see what it represents in church. On the other hand, I know that many prefer non-represeentational art because the feel it makes it easier to meditate and pray.

What do you think about church art and architecture?

[hedgehog]

1. I love representational church art. There is a lot of new stuff out

there ranging from whimsical to serious. Just google icons.

[KitSileya]

3. I drop by the blog 'the shrine of the holy whapping' occasionally

they're interested in church architecture and art, and they've posted some saints' icons that I really liked. Modern, yet representational, and not at all saccharine. One of the things I love about the Catholic Church is that it has such a rich visual history, where the protestant church I grew up in was very 70s superficial. Just as I became alive in my faith, we moved, and my Lutheran parish church was suddenly an 700-year old cathedral,


You can imagine my disappointment when I decided to convert, and had to cross the road and start attending this:

[tjwmason]

2. I think that generally speaking devotional works should be representational

Its purpose isn't to look pretty, but rather to act as a conduit for the minds of the faithful - the Eastern (and Oriental) churches have very strict regulations about eikonography.

However, this does not mean that it has to be a pastiche of art from the '50s or earlier with the saints painted as though in a soft-focus photograph, I remember visiting Rome last year and seeing a magnificent modern sculpture of Noe's Ark - it wasn't devotional, but it was both representational and distinctly modern. Also, it does not mean that only representational art has a place in church - but I just can't see myself lighting a candle and praying in front of a swirl of paint, or indeed non-representational Stations.

[47of74]

4. Ours are from the late 19th century

The stations at the Cathedral parish I'm a member of are from the late 19th century - I believe from the 1880s or 1890s. We have a number frescoes that were painted by Luigi Gregori - the Vatican muralist who painted several buildings at Notre Dame, including the Basilica of the Sacred Heart.

[hedgehog]

5. Here are some wonderful sources of a variety of styles:

http://www.trinitystores.com

http://www.bridgebuilding.com

http://www.patriarts.com

and one of my favorites:



http://www.iol.ie/~duacon/supper.htm

[hedgehog]

6. The parish I'm going to now has a very modern design.

The main building is essentially a pole barn so it has a large unobstructed open space for the sanctuary. The interior is finished in stained wood on the ceiling and plain white walls. As you enter, you pass a waist high cube of black marble with a fountain of water overflowing into a basin surrounding it on the floor.This serve for both Holy Water and as Baptismal fount. A row of clerestory windows focuses natural light on the altar. An abstract banner in seasonal liturgical colors hangs on the wall behind the altar. The altar itself is on a raised platform in the center of the room. The choir is seated behind the altar and everyone else is seated surrounding the altar. A local artist has painted a Madonna and child in pastel colors on one wall. I recognize it as inspired by a Renaissance Madonna, but I can't remember the name of the original painting.The Stations are arranged around the back walls. Clear windows allow a view of trees and a garden.

What's very unique about this church is that the tabernacle is not in the same room as the altar of sacrifice. Instead, off to one side of the atrium there is a sanctuary light burning over the door to a small room. There are kneelers, chairs and prayer books in the room. At the center is a simple tabernacle. The walls are painted white and are covered with twenty or more icons, religious pictures and crucifixes of various sizes and styles. Off to one side is a Reconciliation room.

So, the area for Mass is focused on the worshiping community and the side chapel allows for quiet prayer and offers various sources of inspiration. All in all, it is a very peaceful, welcoming place.

[47of74]

7. I know a church like that

That sounds kind of like St. Ludmila's in Cedar Rapids. They put up a new church at the beginning of the decade because they had outgrown the old church. That church had some structural issues and it was discovered it would be a lot more trouble than it was worth to remodel that parish. That parish has a gathering space as you go in, then further back is the sanctuary. The pews are arranged in a semi circle around the altar - which is at the front of the church, and the tabernacle is off to the side with an exterior entrance for Eucharistic devotion. On the other side of the altar is the choir area. They pulled the old pipe organ out of the old church, refurbished it, and put it in the new church. Most of the church is done in stained wood with white walls. They thought about having images painted on the walls but the Archdiocese decided against that, so they went with that scheme - which was really tastefully done. Most of the sanctuary is encased in clear glass, with the stained glass windows from the old church mounted at intervals on the glass walls. Behind the altar is a glass wall. There's a waist high white marble fountain with a lower pool for immersion baptism as you enter the sanctuary.

[hedgehog]

8. I grew up with the older symbols for "church", and I still enjoy seeing the old

style churches when they are well done. However, just because a church is old style doesn't make it beautiful, and just because a church is modern doesn't make it usable! The remaining Catholic Church here is called beautiful, but in truth it is a cramped jumble of arches, columns, statues, gold trim, etc. The pastor at my home parish built a modern church in 1968, and it took three or four renovations before people could both see and hear Mass. You still can't hear congregational singing; it's like being in the Cone of Silence!

[tjwmason]

11. Exactly.

Both 'modern' and 'traditional' styles can be done well and can be done badly - what is important is that the building and the art within it fulfills its multiples functions of housing the community gathered for Mass and other services, beautifying this surrounding, and lifting our hearts and minds to God.

[hedgehog]

9. St. Ludmilla's - wow

http://www.stludmila.org/photogallery.html

[hedgehog]

10. You might want to check out some of the recent issues of America.

The last few at least have featured religious paintings from various eras and a discussion of their meaning. Very inspiring and enlightening.

I think you may be able to link to one of the articles:

http://www.americamagazine.org/content/culture.cfm?cultureid=8

[KitSileya]

12. Thanks!

I'll be spending the Summer in the US, and am excited to get a chance to see some Catholic churches elsewhere.

The article is interesting. I've had as one of my Lenten promises to pray the rosary more regularly, and one of the mysteries that has resonated most with me has been the Crowning with Thorns - that is, the mocking of Jesus. I've also reread Rumer Godden's 'Five for Sorrow, Ten for Joy', which features the Dominicans of Bethany, the prison visitor order founded by Pere Lataste.

Here's a link to a picture of St. Agnes in a style I like: http://holywhapping.blogspot.com/2008_10_01_archive.html#5186376537608130293

[Matilda]

13. This is the interior of my churc, St. Mary's (Mary Immaculate), North Sydney.

It's a beautiful, clean styling - I wish I knew the style of architecture, but it always makes me think of the
Middle East - the sandstone, I think.

But during the tenure of our previous parish priest, two angels suddenly appeared on the pillars beside the altar -
if you have good eyes, you can see them. They are pure kitsch - stark white, so they stick out like sore thumbs,
cheap-looking plaster and completely without artistic merit. I hate them. If I had a Harry Potter-style wand,
I'd like to blast them to pieces. I don't know whether somebody donated them, or whether it was the priest's idea,
but they are just plain bad taste, and totally at odds with the style of the church. The architects would weep,
I'm sure; it's probably a good thing that they're probably dead by now.

[hedgehog]

14. I've noticed that many priests tend to trea the church as their

own private doll house and rearrange the furniture at whim without consulting with the people of the parish. Even if the priest is tossing out kitsch and introducing fine art, he should recognize that it's not just HIS church and keep his hands off!