What’s that supposed to be?

In order to comprehend any work of fine art, the viewer needs to approach it open and willing to resist immediate judgment.[1] Worthy works of art are considered so only in part because of the technical skill of the artist, admirable as it may be. More likely, the judgment of greatness surfaces from a sense of indefinable beauty. Great works of art reach well beyond function, form or content. What is visible is partial. Great art does not tell the viewer what to think, and it does not bare itself so that there is nothing left to imagine. The artist’s intent is fluid, the sensory impression is intriguing; it can never be fully grasped, but it can almost be known. Sounds a lot like the liturgy, doesn’t it?

The role of the artist:

Art is a public discipline. The artist is first and foremost an observer who draws inspiration from life. The artist looks beyond what appears to be obvious to the truth dwelling in the gaps. The artist does not create only for his or her own personal enjoyment but to satisfy a desire to communicate something that can’t be spoken.

Click here for more on the artist and the collaborative process.

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[1] Janet R. Walton, Art and Worship: A Vital Connection (Wilmington, Delaware: Michael Glazier. Inc., 1988) 117.