religion and art
Blast! I would really really like to talk about "religion and art" but I'm going to miss Creative Writing YET AGAIN for the icky IB French exam. Grr...
But I'll write about it anyway.
There is a part in my favorite book of all time, I Capture the Castle by Dodie Smith, where someone says that religion is the ultimate art, an extension or fulfillment of that which all other arts attempt. I love that. I agree.
I'm not traditionally religious. I'm not Christian. I don't have a specific name for what my religion is but I really love spirituality. I'm going to talk about my personal beliefs because they shape how I view art... Basically I'm some sort of a pantheist. In my opinion, the universe is sacred, everything in it is sacred, all life is part of divinity. To me ordinary actions are sacred because they are expressions of life. I have this quote by the mystic Hafiz written on my "random writing notebook": "Slipping on my shoes, boiling water, toasting bread, buttering the sky - that should be enough contact with God in one day to drive anyone crazy."
So I believe art is also an expression of this sacredness, this beautiful life. I love beautiful art, bright colors and loudness, but even unpleasant art is also an expression of the same thing... because there are dirty parts. When publishers objected to parts of James Joyce's Dubliners, Joyce responded: "It is not my fault that the odour of ashpits and weeds and offal hangs around my stories. I seriously believe that you will retard the course of civlisation in Ireland by preventing the Irish people from having one good look at themselves in my nicely polished looking-glass." Joyce's arrogance aside, art really is a 'looking-glass'. Beautiful art reflects back to us the beauty within ourselves and makes us more conscious of it. Ugly art shows us the ugly parts of ourselves and prevents us from hiding them in shame.
Religion is a mirror too - a deeper one. Instead of just reflecting, it establishes contact, connection. Between us and everything else, other people, other forms of life, other stars, and what is deep within and far behind them all.
Did I make any sense at all? ^^; Anyone?
But I'll write about it anyway.
There is a part in my favorite book of all time, I Capture the Castle by Dodie Smith, where someone says that religion is the ultimate art, an extension or fulfillment of that which all other arts attempt. I love that. I agree.
I'm not traditionally religious. I'm not Christian. I don't have a specific name for what my religion is but I really love spirituality. I'm going to talk about my personal beliefs because they shape how I view art... Basically I'm some sort of a pantheist. In my opinion, the universe is sacred, everything in it is sacred, all life is part of divinity. To me ordinary actions are sacred because they are expressions of life. I have this quote by the mystic Hafiz written on my "random writing notebook": "Slipping on my shoes, boiling water, toasting bread, buttering the sky - that should be enough contact with God in one day to drive anyone crazy."
So I believe art is also an expression of this sacredness, this beautiful life. I love beautiful art, bright colors and loudness, but even unpleasant art is also an expression of the same thing... because there are dirty parts. When publishers objected to parts of James Joyce's Dubliners, Joyce responded: "It is not my fault that the odour of ashpits and weeds and offal hangs around my stories. I seriously believe that you will retard the course of civlisation in Ireland by preventing the Irish people from having one good look at themselves in my nicely polished looking-glass." Joyce's arrogance aside, art really is a 'looking-glass'. Beautiful art reflects back to us the beauty within ourselves and makes us more conscious of it. Ugly art shows us the ugly parts of ourselves and prevents us from hiding them in shame.
Religion is a mirror too - a deeper one. Instead of just reflecting, it establishes contact, connection. Between us and everything else, other people, other forms of life, other stars, and what is deep within and far behind them all.
Did I make any sense at all? ^^; Anyone?
posted by Laura at 4:12 PM
2 Comments:
Yeah, but you contradicted yourself when you said:
"I don't have a name for what my religion is but I really love spirituality."
and the later
"...Basically I'm a pantheist."
Hmmm... I would have never guessed L.T....
Now that the Catholics know, you're screwed. <(^^)>
Come join the protestant side of the wood pile so we can burn together!
i know i wrote it fast. :P also i meant i don't have a name for it like "I'm Catholic" or "I'm Buddhist", not a specific organized religion!
i know, the catholics are gonna get me! ahhh! :O
yay burning side of the wood pile. i'm coming over ^-^
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