Spirituality and Modern Art

The spiritual nature of life has always been a major theme in art. Concepts such as love, joy, and peace, as well as forgiveness, honor, integrity, and harmony have been dominant topics in paintings, sculpture, and plays.

The human spirit is often explored, as is the connection with the divine. Traditionally, art has been a source of inspiration, whether uplifting the saint or warning the sinner.

Modern art often combines its essential premise, the celebration of the "new," with this spiritual exploration. The result in modern art can range from "new" ways to glorify God to distinctly less complimentary works, including Mapplethorpe's now infamous crucifix in urine photograph.

With the advent of the new age and its pantheistic worship, many artists have found a "new" spirituality to embrace and depict in their art. Examples of this "new spirituality" include goddess and earth worship, crystals, and angel art to name just a very few.

Like all great human endeavors, modern art can lend itself to glorification or blasphemy, to salvation or to the celebration of the hedonistic self. Modern art is a tool for spiritual communication; its message lies, as always, with the artist and the beholder.