Thursday, August 2, 2012

New Art Blog Posts

I have recently published a series of blog posts on my art blog about spiritual themes in contemporary art. Check it out:

As contemporary society becomes increasingly multicultural, the exclusive nature of the church often isolates the modern worshiper, while simultaneously allowing the modern art patron to appreciate religious symbols in art from many cultures. The practice of organized religion is on the decline, and in its absense, many are turning to art.

The Sacred Experience in Art Spaces Part Two
Though it isn’t often discussed, spirituality was actually a major theme in the art of the nineties because artists used the body in a spiritual way.

The Sacred Experience in Art Spaces Part Three
Of all the contemporary artists working with spiritual themes, Bill Viola is in a league of his own. Viola creates emotional, painterly videos that reference birth and death, the natural elements, human expressions and relationships, and religious iconography. His work creates a humanist, or art based, spirituality. 

Thursday, July 12, 2012

The Separation of Church and Building Codes

Rendering for the new MTC building courtesy The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, via the Salt Lake Tribune.
The LDS Church is attempting to build a nine-story building in the Provo Missionary Training Center, and some neighbors are concerned about the building’s height. The story should not be newsworthy—as I have learned in my Boston Architecture class this summer, some neighbors almost always oppose the height of new buildings—but recently the Church used its ecclesiastical authority to help minimize the opposition, and that has made this an important story to follow.