Bible Studies Thesis Statement
This starement was part of my Mills College MFA exhibition
It is no coincidence that from early cave paintings to the beginnings of organized religion artists have been drawn to (or employed to) give vision to spiritual and religious belief. Faith and fanaticism find common ground in both the art world and the world of religion, both having the potential to create meaningful connection suffused with transcendental beauty. Both being potentially corrupted by power, ego, and greed.
As a daughter of the holocaust, reconciling Judeo/Christian constructs has been a lifelong dilemma. How do I reconcile the idea of God with my families history? How do I reconcile everyday horror with the beauty I see every day? The goodness of people in the world with the cruelty of people in the world? My own goodness with my own cruelty?
At what point is art or religion mere decoration and at what point something authentic and meaningful? The Bible stories we learn as children are imprinted like the wallpaper we rarely notice. They provide comfort and familiarity. They provide the background narrative behind the daily soap operas of judgement and punishment enacted within our family lives, within our global politics.
As an artist I find myself drawn to these stories, fascinated by their influence on our culture, on our history, on my history. My intent with this installation is to play with some of the images associated with Bible studies, to question some of these beliefs and to find comfort in others.
It is no coincidence that from early cave paintings to the beginnings of organized religion artists have been drawn to (or employed to) give vision to spiritual and religious belief. Faith and fanaticism find common ground in both the art world and the world of religion, both having the potential to create meaningful connection suffused with transcendental beauty. Both being potentially corrupted by power, ego, and greed.
As a daughter of the holocaust, reconciling Judeo/Christian constructs has been a lifelong dilemma. How do I reconcile the idea of God with my families history? How do I reconcile everyday horror with the beauty I see every day? The goodness of people in the world with the cruelty of people in the world? My own goodness with my own cruelty?
At what point is art or religion mere decoration and at what point something authentic and meaningful? The Bible stories we learn as children are imprinted like the wallpaper we rarely notice. They provide comfort and familiarity. They provide the background narrative behind the daily soap operas of judgement and punishment enacted within our family lives, within our global politics.
As an artist I find myself drawn to these stories, fascinated by their influence on our culture, on our history, on my history. My intent with this installation is to play with some of the images associated with Bible studies, to question some of these beliefs and to find comfort in others.