Religion and Art

B.H. Roberts once said, “The best thing about a painting or piece of sculpture is that which cannot be described. And that elusive, mysterious quality we call its spirit may arise from something quite apart from its rhetoric, or logic or distinction. It may be even as the voice of God: not in the strong wind, that rends the mountains and breaks in pieces the rocks before the Lord…but in the still, small voice which follows the wind and earthquake and fire.” This week, we attended an art exhibit in the BYU Museum of Art about religious pieces. The majority of items in the exhibit were paintings, but there were also some sculptures and etchings. There was a wide variety of religious themes and the way they were depicted. There were works of the Saviour himself, other characters from the scriptures, well-known symbols of religious subjects, and more obscure ones. So, there were many ways in the display to convey feelings about religion.
I feel like I understand art a lot more now than I ever have before, thanks in large part to an Art History class I am enrolled in this semester. It was fun to be able to identify characteristics in the contemporary art that are borrowed from styles from the last 500 years. Through being in that class and conversations with other people, I believe that meaning in art is specific to the viewer. There are certainly themes and symbols which were intended to be noticed by the artist, but I believe that most of the “deep” meanings seen in art are manufactured by the individual to try to gain more from the viewing experience. For that reason, I really enjoyed browsing the gallery and evaluating a wide range of pieces rather than spend 15-20 minutes on the same one. I feel like I gained more from studying and appreciating the woodcuts of Rembrandt and Durer than trying to discuss all of the “hidden, deep” symbolism in a contemporary painting that seemed far inferior to me in subject, composition, and style. I really do appreciate the tour we were given and the work put into leading us through the exhibit, but I personally gained more from the introspection than the guided discussion.
One piece that I especially enjoyed was Rembrandt’s etching of Raising of Lazarus: The Large Plate. It was done all the way back in 1632, so almost 400 years ago. Yet, I could still see the care and detail given to this seen of the Messiah’s life by one of the great masters of Western art history. The figures are powerful and the moment dramatic. The dress and objects surrounding the bursting tomb are authentic and realistic. I was impressed by the wide-eyed look of the men surrounding Jesus as Lazarus’s head first starts to emerge. It made me think of what miracles God can work in my life if I let him, and that I need to be believing and not doubt.
I thoroughly enjoyed the exhibit, and hope I can continue to view more art in the future. I was able to spend a few hours in the Getty Museum in LA in August, but I would really like to go back and spend more time there so I can see more of the galleries. I plan on making an effort to do so when I go home for Christmas break in December. I hope I’ll be able to see more religious art so that my appreciation for it and ability to interpret it may continue to grow.