Missing: Visual Arts
July 19th, 2008If you get a chance to visit any of the churches of Europe or even some historical churches in Boston, you will notice right away that something is distinctly missing from most of our churches: visual arts. Back when most of these churches were constructed visual art forms of the day were architecture, painting and sculpture. Take St. Paul’s Cathedral in London, which is Sir Christopher Wren’s masterpiece, as a stunning example. It includes monuments, paintings, mosaics, and an impressive dome.
Today our churches meet in shabby worship spaces by comparison–some even in high school gyms. Let me be clear that I am not advocating a return to focusing resources on physical buildings when it could be used to build bridges for the gospel. I am struck however by our lack of visual arts. In centuries past this meant paintings and sculptures today it means video and interactive media. In the past the Church commissioned these works. This meant that the artist was paid, and that the Church directed the theme and purpose of the art. Today artists create their work and hope to sell it rather than getting commissioned to create works of art for patrons. The main way art is created for patrons today is through advertising. And if you think about many art in churches and even the buildings themselves communicated and advertised its message.
Here is an example of the work of Caravaggio, part of a chapel dedicated to St. Matthew which depicts the Calling of St. Matthew and the Inspiration of the Gospel.
Another great example is the church of Santa Maria in Trastevere. This church dates from the 4th century and has fantastic mosaics.
What can be done to encourage this today? Is Vegie Tales our version of Berninni sculptures? Do we have really skilled artists like Michaelangelo working their entire lives to create masterpieces of visual art? Are we surrounded by the visual arts in our worship? I think we may have a long way to go…
