Holly Hunt: Research

The article explores how controversial debates about the Catholic Church and Islam are becoming more important in our cultural identity.

Anselm Franke says that there is not a wave of religious works in contemporary art, however artists are engaging and citing religion more in their work. He refers to Bruno Latour’s hypothesis. He says that “faith,” as it is known today in secular societies, is an invention of modernism, precisely because it is perceived to be detached from another reality.

Although I am not religious myself, just investigating the concept, I'm not sure that I agree with this hypothesis. Is faith really an invention of modernism? Surely you can have faith in anything and anyone at any period of time. I do accept that we live in a secular world however I don't think that faith has been a recent invention, but a concept shared throughout the ages.

Jörg Heiser says that 'Art and religion are the antithesis of one another, like water and oil (although emulsions are possible). The thirst for knowledge is constrained by belief and its claims to power, and art is instrumentalized in the service of religious incarnations.

If art and religion are like water and oil then my project would be impossible and redundant! Before the Renaissance period had dissolved and society had moved on from the influence of religion all of art was focused on religion; why can't that be revisited today? I think that the absence of religion is just as important, to discuss, as the abundance of it. I do however agree with his second statement as religious beliefs are somewhat clouded by logic; concepts such as evolution, Stem cell research, IVF etc. I think when infiltrating the relifgious world in art you have to probe, be controversial and challenge perception.

Silvia Henke says 'Religious art is taboo!', 'contemporary art exhibitions full of religious symbols, themes and staging see themselves as events of culture rather than religion',

This point of religious symbols being cultural rather than religious is quite thought provoking. The main differences between culture and religion are that religion is an organised and filtered system of beliefs followed by people, whereas culture is shared ideas of knowledge and beliefs that don't neccissarily have to be followed. So what would you have to do to make the work religious rather than cultural? Would a religious person have to make the piece of work in order for it to be truly religious? And if so would it be taken seriously or would it be a mockery?

No comments

Research

Maurizio Cattelan

No comments

Research

Louis de Belle

No comments

Research

Lorraine Loots

No comments

Research

Soasig Chamaillard

"I grew up in a Christian Western society. My perspective on life has been a result of my environment and background.

The playful interaction of society’s many icons, physical transformations, and the resulting improbable combinations, have culminated in my vision of a woman’s role and place in our society.

This inner questioning of a woman’s role, has led me to use one of the most sacred icons in my work, namely, the Virgin Mary.

Initially, I begin with damaged statues, either donated or discovered in garage sales, which I then restore and transform.

I surely do not mean to shock those who believe but rather to move those who see"

Chamaillard has taken the most iconic female figure of the past and has transformed her image into several different combinations. In this way she is challenging our perception of the role of women in modern society. The act of restoring and transforming these sculptures may be the key idea here. As women today in a developing society, we are transforming into stronger, more independent figures.

She is being playful rather than trying to shock. I would like to take this concept forward into my work as I take on the iconic figures of the saints and animate them. She is being playful with form, like a child, to avoid being shocking in her efforts. I think that is is a really clever and more laid back way in which to explore the topic of religion; of course some observers will take offence and find some atrocity in the manipulation of religious figures.

I really think this work is so similar to mine in terms of theme and tone; it is quite clearly religious and humorous. The idea of taking the Virgin Mary and refurbishing' her seems like such a funny concept, however I see it more as recycling; as if she's taking this iconic figure and bringing her back to life. I can see connotations of reincarnation which is quite controversial as this contradicts catholosim and touches upon a whole other belief (Hinduism and Buddhism). Maybe the artist is making a point of having a sort of cultural exchange with other religions? There is such an overlap in religious concepts and figures that it should all be shared and respected.

Lady Octopus 2015 Acrylic and resin

Saint Liberty

The piece above is a parody of the iconic Statue of Liberty in America. Saint Mary takes the place of lady liberty and tourists still queue up below. I think that this piece is a very playful way in which to transform a beloved American figure into a saint; perhaps I could do the same thing with Donald Trump? He is an increasingly iconic figure today as his campaign to be president of the United States is fully underway. I'm sure Trump thinks of himself as a saint, so why not make him into one?

No comments

Research

Group Tutorial

After having my tutorial I felt a lot happier about how my work translated to my audience. In this tutorial the person presenting their work had to stay silent whilst the group had to voice their thoughts. The first word that someone came up with was RELIGIOUS. This made me so happy as I wasn't sure that there was enough evidence in my work of it being obviously religious. Of course I don't want to be too obvious with what I'm trying to present, as I think the observer should have room to interpret the work for themselves.

Another member of my group made a very interesting comment that I hadn't actually thought about before. He mentioned that the work could be fetishised due to the fixation on the finger. I suppose the piece does have a few sexual connotations, especially the 3D zoetrope of Saint Thomas's finger poking into the air. In this way it seems that sexualising the relics is just another way to 'probe' the subject; almost mocking the idea of worshiping the relics when there is an underlying grotesque history (the violent way in which the saints were killed).

The symbol of the finger was discussed. Someone mentioned the heirachy of the finger and its authoritative power. The members of the group worked out that the finger was the index finger, however they thought that they were cast from a persons actual finger. This made be quite happy as they were essentially praising my sculpting skills without realising. I had played with their perceptions and made all of the fingers to look identical when they were made in different ways.

The Donald trump pieces (phenakistascope and stainglass window) were appreciated as funny and with some relevance to my overall theme, however people mentioned that it was so separated from the other pieces, as it was quite obviously political. I couldn't really help the fact that these pieces were read as political as Trumps campaign is very topical at the present moment. I tried to bring his arguments with the pope into the piece however I need to appreciate that not everyone has read this in the news/researched on Trump as much as I have.

I think that I really need to consider attaching labels to my work and maybe even a description/narrative. I have taken from the tutorial that I am going in the right direction and the observer can sense the theme themselves (religious/humorous) however there was a too small chance that they would have worked out which Saint was being represented and the story behind it. I need to remember why I set out to do this; it was supposed to be an investigation into Catholic relics, to poke fun at, materialise and bring them back to life. If I am to stick to this initial idea then I need to provide further information along with my piece in order for the observer to appreciate it fully and to learn about the saints who's tales are becoming increasingly less relivant in today's secular society. I was also told to go bigger and more controversial; push the boundaries of the topic that I have chosen. Perhaps I can make a larger reliquary encasing Donald Trumps tiny hands? I could make my prints, of Saint Thomas's finger, larger or more repetitive; almost wallpapering my space?

No comments

Research