Sacred Art Research Articles

An Essay on Spirituality in Indian Sacred Art: Some Perspectives

This essay describes some of the fundamental ideas that make Indian sacred art unique, namely the interconnection between the spiritual and technical aspects present in several sacred artistic works carried out by various artists over time. Thus, some practical applications of the “theory of the evolution of consciousness” in Indian sacred art will be discussed, including the role played by the human body, as a fundamental “instrument” for expressing the devotion of Indians.

Sacred Art Between Tradition and Personal Expression: The Orthodox Icon and Artistical Transgressions of the Canon

The aim of this article is to present a personal reflection regarding the theoretical/philosophical relation between the generally accepted theological grounding of icon painting and other contemporary artistical endeavours to integrate the religious feeling – of Christian-Orthodox inspiration. This reflection is based on a mixture of ideas from different thought-frameworks which have as common ground the need for speculating on issues such as ‘tradition understanding’, ‘personal expression’, ‘art and religiousness’, exactly those key-themes that are constituting the fundamental threads of my argumentation. Hence, my appeal to authors like Lucian Blaga, Leonid Uspensky, Martin Heidegger, Paul Evdochimov, and Christos Yannaras. The point of departure for my study is the powerful and unavoidable conflict between the need for personal artistic interpretations of religious themes – expressed through contemporary artistic techniques and the application of contemporary metaphysical modelings – and the need for attaching oneself to an ‘authentic’ tradition of religious experience and to a community with deep roots in history. My all-round thesis is that this conflict cannot be, at least, clarified by choosing, from the artistic point of view, between two extremes: contemporary secular art on the one hand, and sacred, canonical art on the other hand, but by finding conceptual common pathways.

Sacred art as the highest manifestation of a person's spiritual worldview

The article is devoted to the problem of the formation of a spiritual worldview, the spiritualization of a person, a meeting with the sacred world, God, which is very relevant in the modern technogenic world, through communication with the sacred art, which has its own symbolic language, its own characteristic for each religion, signs that are important for a person as a spiritual, in its main essence, being. The author reveals the nature of sacred art, compares attitudes towards it in the Middle Ages and in our time, reveals the deep symbols of sacred architecture and painting in Christianity, sacred architecture in Islam, and painting in Chan Buddhism. A comparative analysis of the symbols of the sacred art of these religions showed the profound unity of their main ideas: the idea of creating the world in the Void (Creatio ex Nihilo), the idea of the creation of the world by Light, the idea of the manifestation of the Word of God in Christianity and Islam; revealed the common goal of the sacred art of these religions — unity with God, the spiritual world, nature by getting rid of their egoistic subjectivity; discovered a similarity in the creative process of an icon painter in Christianity and an artist in Chan Buddhism and led to conclusions about the synonymy of the concepts of God in Christianity, Allah in Islam and Emptiness in Buddhism.

Sacred art in the painting of Kyiv artists 1980–1990s on the examples of works of teachers of NAOMA

Sacred art in the painting of Kyiv artists 1980–1990s on the examples of works of teachers of NAOMA

The Sacred art of Becoming

The Sacred art of Becoming

Brąz i szkło w symbolice przestrzeni granicznej. Między sacrum wnętrza świątyni chrześcijańskiej a zewnętrznym profanum

Bronze and glass are materials that have been used for centuries in Christian church decoration as carriers of symbolic meaning. When the front façade of a church had a carved bronze door and the window placed on the axis above it was glazed, often filled with stained glass, there was a symbolic juxtaposition of material and colour: the carved bronze door in the earthly zone of the secular and the colourful glass images placed above it symbolising the sacred. The article cites examples indicating the search for new forms of expression and the formation of a new symbolism related to metal and glass in contemporary sacred art. The changes involve the introduction of colour into the decoration of bronze doors, glass inlays and the gradual domination of large panes of glass. Often, the expressiveness of glass begins to be complemented by forms created using new techniques of handling artificial light. The artists’ exploration often leads to the expansion of the church entrance, inclusion of various forms of installations, and increasingly often they turn to the use of new media. Contemporary artists are to a large extent inspired by the Church’s stance, which emphasises the importance of the liminal space between the sacred and the secular, and consequently more and more often refers to the symbolism of the door and sponsors new innovative solutions.

ХУДОЖНЄ КАМЕНЯРСТВО ГУЦУЛЬЩИНИ – ФЕНОМЕН САКРАЛЬНОЇ КУЛЬТУРИ УКРАЇНИ

The purpose of the article is to comprehend the works of the artistic stonecraft of the Hutsul region as a phenomenon of the artistic culture of Ukraine; to prove the antiquity of the symbolism of decorative motifs used by the stone craftsmen from the Hutsul region. Research Methodology. The comparative and typological analysis was used to compare the artistic and stylistic features of stonecraft with the other types of folk art. While considering the artistic features, the author used a comprehensive method. Scientific Novelty. The artistic stonecraft of the Hutsul region and its significance in the development of the sacral culture of Ukraine is considered for the first time. The author collected and introduced into scientific circulation the unknown works of the memorial art of the Hutsul region. A number of works of the artistic stonecraft were published for the first time. The article considered the works of stonecraft presented in cross-crafting and figurative sacred plastic art, which has been preserved in the cemeteries of the Hutsul villages of Yamna, Malyi Kliuchiv, etc. Crosses without artistic plastic and with sculptures were considered. A typological analysis of the figures of the crucified Jesus Christ was carried out. The comparison of the style of the carved ornaments of artistic stonecraft with the carved decor in wood and artistic metal was given. Conclusions. Artistic stonecraft ornaments are associated with an ancient, even pre-Christian culture. The sign and symbolic system of ornaments of ancient origin was analysed. The study shows the antiquity of the traditions of artistic carving on both wood and stone in the Hutsul region. Works of artistic stonecraft of the Hutsul region are a phenomenon of sacral culture in Ukraine. They have to be preserved. One of the ways to solve this problem is to create a museum-lapidarium, where monuments would be restored and properly cared for under the supervision of the experts.

Sacred art in the context of the creation and regulation of the religious buildings environment design in Galicia

Today, while constructing new churches and the restoring the old ones, historical research on the creation and regulation of the environmental design of the Galicia cult buildings is relevant. The purpose of the study is to initiate thorough research on the role of sacred art in the development of the environmental design of the religious buildings of Galicia on the material of the late XIX — early XX century. The methodology of the study is systematic, authentic, historicist, and logical. The author examined hundreds of complexes of sacral buildings in Galicia. Synthesis of sacral art and design played an important role in the creation and regulation of the environmental design of the religious buildings of this region. Nevertheless, the end of the nineteenth — the beginning of the twentieth century is a period of elevation in the national culture's development of the Ukrainians of Galicia. These are interiors of churches in Lviv, Tarnivtka, Drohobych, Vorokhta and other cities and villages of the region made with imitation of the historical epochs and national style. Inheritance of historical styles, such as Ukrainian baroque and folk art traditions, played an important role in the spiritual life of the Ukrainians of Galicia. They became one of the important factors in their national self-identification and in the revival of cultural life at the turn of the nineteenth and twentieth centuries.

Correlation of Sacred Architecture and Painting in Western Ukraine

This article highlights some of the results of the scientific work conducted under the direction of the Institute of Architecture and Design of the National University “Lviv Polytechnic” together with the Department of Fine Arts and Design of Ternopil National Pedagogical University, Kremenets Regional Humanities and Pedagogics Academy, Lesia Ukrainka Eastern European National University, Department of Fine Arts. Scientists are exploring sacred arts in Western Ukraine as one of the highest achievements in the work of Ukrainian architects. In particular, the article is about the Ternopil region. The aim of the article is to cover the work of architects of the Ternopil region, correlation in their creativity of architecture and painting; the introduction into the scientific circulation of data on some temples - architectural monuments and modern churches. The territory of Western Ukraine occupies a special place in the cultural and spiritual space of the state. It is located at the crossroads of European roads, has long been noted for its multinational character and wealth of faiths. Temples of different denominations are the decoration of cities and villages and enrich their architectural landscape, and in terms of potential and value of architectural heritage, it is one of the richest regions of Ukraine. One of the spiritual symbols of the city of Ternopil is a temple built in the eighteenth century - a monument of late European Baroque architecture. The building was many times on the verge of destruction; it was burned and destroyed by wars and the communist regime, but with the declaration of independence of Ukraine the shrine was revived. Modern paintings, sculptural groups, stained glass windows and other works of sacred art have transformed the sanctuary into a city beauty, attracting visitors with its grandeur and splendor. Scientists do not often turn to the creative personality of architects. Among the renowned architects of Ukraine, who have designed projects for more than 200 temple complexes, is Ternopil artist Mykhaylo Netrybyak. He combines the work of the architect with the work of the teacher, and the creative nature of the artist is reflected in the paintings. The famous painter of Ternopil with professional architectural education is Mykhaylo Kuziv, who also combines artistic work with pedagogical activity. His works are known far beyond Ukraine and are exhibited in state and public institutions, in private collections of Ukraine and in many countries of the world. Thus, as a result of the research, the data on some contemporary architects and artists of Ternopil region were put into scientific circulation; their role in the process of revival of temple construction of Ukraine is defined; it describes some of the temples – architectural monuments and modern architectural buildings.

A CORRELAÇÃO DA ESTRUTURA GEOMÉTRICA E O SIGNIFICADO BÍBLICO-TEOLÓGICO NAS OBRAS DA SANTÍSSIMA TRINDADE DE ANDREJ RUBLËV E CLÁUDIO PASTRO

As estruturas geométricas implícitas nas pinturas dos tradicionais ícones bizantinos trazem não apenas uma lógica formal, mas também uma simbologia que corresponde à teologia da obra. Tais estruturas são responsáveis pela harmonia e pelo equilíbrio de todo o conjunto. Em uma análise comparativa entre as pinturas da Santíssima Trindade, de Andrej Rublëv (1360-1430)[1] e de Cláudio Pastro (1948-2016)[2], dois artistas relevantes para a história da arte sacra oriental e ocidental, respectivamente, verifica-se a importância dessa geometria como estrutura fundante da composição da obra e de grande auxílio para a compreensão teológica do tema. A partir de um diálogo com teólogos dos séculos XX e XXI, constata-se a insuficiência da linguagem humana para transmitir o mistério Trinitário em imagens. Artistas de distintas épocas pintaram obras com o objetivo de retratar o tema, cuja complexidade é assinalada em literatura de grandes teólogos. Tendo esse pano de fundo, observa-se na análise iconográfica e iconológica da pintura de Rublëv e de Pastro como a maneira de retratar a Trindade por estes dois artistas está embasada na tradição e no magistério das Igrejas Ortodoxa e Católica. A análise estrutural geométrica não pretende reduzir o tema a linhas ou figuras bidimensionais, mas, pelo contrário, quer demonstrar que essas estruturas têm uma razão de ser e auxiliam na compreensão teológica e na leitura da obra.

Influencia del icono oriental en el arte sacro contemporáneo: la obra de Rupnik y Argüello en la catedral de La Almudena de Madrid

El mundo del arte sacro contemporáneo vive en las últimas décadas un retorno a la figuración vinculado al redescubrimiento de los iconos. Diferentes autores han vuelto la vista a la tradición oriental para retomar un camino de la imagen sagrada que en la Iglesia de Occidente ya se había perdido en aras de una cierta iconoclastia especialmente presente en las décadas centrales del siglo XX.Superando estos momentos de crisis de la imagen sagrada, vinculados especialmente al Movimiento Litúrgico y su expresión arquitectónica a través del funcionalismo alemán, se observa una decidida actitud de recuperación del icono como categoría especialmente propicia para la creación de arte sacro y litúrgico, redescubriéndose también, en un ámbito más teórico, la teología asociada a estas expresiones plásticas. Por ello, descubrimos a lo largo de las últimas décadas una recuperación del icono que se extiende más allá de los límites del mundo ortodoxo, creando caminos de influencias recíprocas entre Oriente y Occidente.En el presente texto se analizará la influencia del icono oriental en el arte sacro contemporáneo a través del estudio de las aportaciones que Kiko Argüello y Marko Ivan Rupnik han hecho en la catedral de La Almudena de Madrid entre 2004 y 2011. El estudio comparado de distintas iconografías permitirá apreciar la asunción y reinterpretación de modelos orientales como vehículo de renovación del arte sacro occidental.

The Album of the Archconfraternity of the Blessed Sacrament and Five Wounds of Our Lord Jesus Christ at the Corpus Christi Church in Krakow. A Gem of Old Polish Sacred Art and an Invaluable Historical Source

The Album of the Archconfraternity of the Blessed Sacrament and Five Wounds of Our Lord ff Jesus Christ at Kazimierz in Krakow was made in the 17th century, but its oldest section duplicates the contents of an earlier catalogue comprising entries from 1551–1612. The album is a large-sized manuscript volume, an original and ambitious work, a gem of the Old Polish sacred art, a genuine document of several cultural epochs and an invaluable historical source. However, to date it has been largely ignored by researchers, although it has been referred to and used as a source on multiple occasions in studies on the Corpus Christi Church and the history and resources of the monastic archive. The album had a representative function, and the very act of opening. its pages must have evoked excitement as the book was beautifully executed. In its form, shape, and artwork, it resembles lavishly decorated Mediaeval and Renaissance codices. Many of its sheets are in fact whole-page paintings with figural scenes; it also features impressive floral and heraldic elements as well as initials. Despite the passage of four centuries since its inception, it is still in use, and has therefore become a link between the past and the present. Its scholarly, cognitive and application-related value was noticed by researchers only in the early 20th century. It was Rev. Józef Augustyn Błachut, author of the first modern monograph of the monastery, published in 1905, who introduced the album into scholarly circulation. Today, it is one of the most frequently consulted sources in the archive of the monastery, drawing attention of historians, art historians, culture historians and religious geography historians, but also culture enthusiasts who visit the monastery and its library. It is a remarkable memorial of cultural heritage of the nation and the Church, and a source to be used inresearch on Poland’s religious life, population mobility, reception and transmission of ideas, cultural exchange, ties of the monastery with its surroundings; it provides research data for studies on the demography, system of government, culture and infrastructure of Kazimierz and the entire Krakow urban area.

The Philosophical Dimension of the Islamic Illumination in Designing Qur'anic Manuscripts

The philosophical dimension that was followed by the designers of Qu'ran manuscripts is considered in general a keystone in making the Qur'an scripts in the Islamic world. This moral philosophical dimension was later on deemed as principles for its design in manufacturing the sacred script. Accordingly, Illumination was used as an agent for building the art of writing, covering, lining as well as other arts that represent to main structural principles in making the Islamic script that is used as a profession for making codicology and in studying the material holder not to forget its symbolic dimension without taking account to the content. This study aimed at examining the philosophical dimension of using Islamic Illumination that is deemed as one of the main structural principles in designing the Islamic manuscript as well as its technology which is considered a field that distinguishes the research as one of the structural basis in designing the Islamic book, since Illumination as a feature to designing the Islamic book due of the beauty, design value and the sacred content. In this study, the researcher examines this philosophical and symbolic dimension as well as the principles and techniques which the craftsman used in using Illumination as designing principles to divide the page and space to add the Qur'anic sacred text in the Qur'anic scripts and introduces it in terms of using a sacred content. The researcher studies a sample of Qur'anic pages that refer to various Islamic ages, analyzed them, studied the design structure, the technique and the philosophical dimension of Illumination.The study concluded that Illumination was introduced to the Qur'anic script in order to create dignity and to show the greatness of God, not to forget the Illumination dominated on the Qur'anic script for the purposes of completeness, were it was introduced in the Qur'anic text to open a moral/ spiritual way for the one who works in designing the scripted Qur'an holly books. Keywords: The Philosophical Dimension, of Illumination, Script, The Sacred Art. DOI: 10.7176/JTHS/47-04 Publication date: February 29 th 2020

The Features of the Monumental Paintings by V. Rudakov and N. Zheltomirska in Odessa Eparchy orthodox temples

In the article the monumental paintings by V. Rudakov and N. Zheltomirska in Odessa temples are considered. Characteristic features of contemporary sacred art are revealed due to the use of iconographic, iconological and comparative research methods. The principles of applying Byzantium icon-painting canon in the temples spaces are reviewed. The process of creating painting programs of churches interiors in connection with their dedication to a particular saint or to one of the Great Feasts is analyzed. The technological features of the creation of monumental and decorative design in the selected temples have been ascertained. The process of decorating Odessa churches by the icon painters of the XXI century is considered as a new wave of Christian art development based on Byzantine and Old Russian stylistics.

Sakralisasi VS Desakralisasi, Takhayul VS Rasionalisme Dalam Studi Sejarah Kesenian Berutuk Dari Desa Trunyan, Bali

This paper answer the question of what a Berutuk Art from the Trunyan village of Bali is seen from historic there the art was once very sacred, then how the implementation of art and why now that started from the year 1997 experienced desacralization. To answer questions, the research method used is literature study. The result of the research, the art of berutuk originally is a very sacred art, because it can bring prosperity that is realized with the coming rain. In the execution of art is played by a males who still virgin with an odd number, then two of them act as a Batara Berutuk and queen. Today the art of berutuk desacralization due to modernisation which refers to the approach of rationalism which is contrary to superstition or unreasonable.Keywords: the art of berutuk, execution, desacralization, modernization, rationalism, superstition

ТЕНДЕНЦІЇ СУЧАСНОГО УКРАЇНСЬКОГО ІКОНОПИСУ

Мета статті – розглянути тенденції і з’ясувати перспективи розвитку українського іконопису ХХІ ст. у контексті відродження національного сакрального мистецтва. Методологія дослідження. Використано історично-порівняльний метод (для дослідження динаміки розвитку стилю українського бароко); метод стилістичного мистецтвознавчого аналізу (для визначення особливостей техніко-технологічних прийомів та живописної стилістики в творчості сучасних українських іконописців); типологічний і системно-структурний методи (для виявлення індивідуально-стильових особливостей поєднання традицій барокового іконопису з академічною технікою та новаторськими тенденціями). Наукова новизна. З’ясовано специфіку синтезу українського академічного живопису із художніми традиціями, сформованими за доби бароко в контексті розвитку сакрального мистецтва України кінця ХХ – початку ХХІ ст.; досліджено творчі методи й естетичні принципи провідних сучасних вітчизняних іконописців; розглянуто тенденції й перспективи розвитку барокових іконописних традицій в українському сакральному мистецтві відповідно до специфіки соціомистецького простору ХХІ ст. Висновки. Український іконопис ХХІ ст., зберігаючи колорит традиційного сакрального мистецтва і національної культури, сформований протягом багатовікової історії, відкритий для нових художніх тенденцій. Нині відбувається синтез нових тенденцій, новаторських художніх рішень і традиційних мотивів національного церковного мистецтва різних періодів. Іконопис доби українського бароко, що характеризується унікальними стилістичними ознаками, принципами естетично-чуттєвої та духовної краси, для багатьох сучасних митців є основою художнього пошуку, синтезованого підходу та авторської стилізації, органічного поєднання стародавніх іконописних традицій та сучасних естетичних вимог, що виявляється в посиленні реалізму, народної символіки, натуралістичних рис утілення образів національних ідеалів.

The Action Research on the Sacred Circle Dance and Music-Based Integrative Arts Therapy

The Action Research on the Sacred Circle Dance and Music-Based Integrative Arts Therapy

Tradition through Innovation – “Return to the Future”

Two thousandth years of history of Christianity proved that a main criterion of a value of church architecture was not based on architectural precursors. This architecture was sacred because it was a carrier of a „truth of God” and – like a liturgical mysteries and iconography art – it was a theological comment. It was a codified language of the transposes of religions essences and orders, into the form of architectural expression. This was in an East Christianity and this happens there up to this day. Art is a constant movement between religion and aesthetics. At that moment it ceases to be a work of art, because it is elevated to the level of theological sphere. Its whole value is participation in the life of the ‘Other’. If it is a living symbol, it becomes a sacrament. This paper presents selected examples of interaction between architecture, iconography and theology in contemporary sacred art of the last decade in Poland. It also shows the process of evolution of traditional spatial and functional structures and application of new iconography conventions in the Christian temples. It covers problems in art as well as new essential ideological aspects of symbolical and liturgical nature. The effects of design and creation work presented in this paper, serve as a basis to classify these objects as traditional. This assessment of the synthesis of art achieved here – being always the basis for creating the liturgical mystery play within the Christian Church – is left to the reader himself.

Сакральная архитектура Франции и Бельгии между двух Великих войн: разворот от Ар-деко к модернизму

Сакральная архитектура Франции и Бельгии между двух Великих войн: разворот от Ар-деко к модернизму

The Place of Traditional Artists in the Preservation of Nigerian Art

Human beings have always left signs of their activities behind them. These signs take both tangible and intangible forms, including buildings, sites, sculptural works, antiquities, rock art paintings, belief systems, and traditions. The people of this millennium have recognized the remains of our fore-bears namely archaeological, architectural monuments, sites, and cultural works as an integral part of the cultural heritage of all humanity. They also recognized the fact that heritage is an invaluable source of information about the lives and activities of human beings and their artistic and technical capabilities over the centuries. The Nigerian Ancient Art Tradition which spans eight thousand years is a product of diverse artists from Dufuna, Nok, Igbo-Ukwu, Ife, Owo, Benin, Tada, etc. Also remarkable are the sculptural works created by late Susanne Wenger (an Austrian) and her New Sacred Art Movement in Osun-Osogbo Sacred Grove, which gave meaning to open spaces within the grove. This paper examines the role played by these artworks to project Nigeria to the global art world. The benefits to Nigeria and the global art traditions and recommendations on how to revive this dwindling economic resource will also be examined. The approach used was to study the artworks produced by some of these artists. Some of the findings were that the works were carefully done with suitable materials that have withstood climate change.