There were two of Kapikian’s quotes that drew my attention in particular. She introduced the seminar by talking about he churches that she had seen that had collapsed and turned into something new like a karate studio or homes. She also talked about how churches had been revamping their structure into all-purpose spaces at one point quoting a loan officer stating, “If it doesn’t work it’ll be a great gym.” This is a phenomenon that I have seen myself as I travel across the South. Churches are being bought and re appropriated or traditional churches are giving way to the creation of a religious multi purpose space or joining other organization to use one space. She uses this discussion to introduce the concept that church attendance is down possibly because the church is unable to adapt to the modernist world. One way that the church can respond and move forward by inviting artists back into the church, and allow for individual creativity or aesthetics as not to limit them. This lead to her reminding the church to welcome artists back with the proverb, “Be kind to strangers. Some have entertained angels unknown.” Another quote the interested me was when she stated that the presence of grace is experienced when watching an artist push material past material nature. Kapikian seems to be implying that when art moves past simple materiality the creation becomes a spiritual process. That creative practice and religious ritual are not as separate as they have been viewed.
A practice that is unique to Kapikian’s work is that it is at times community created in that she unites the members of the community to create the piece even if she is coordinating it what she calls participatory aesthetics. She states, “The congregation also discovers a deep correspondence between creative processing and spiritual formation. In every instance of this kind of work, in particular large scale and complex works, congregational life is not only enhanced but also grows in numbers.” At times she works on her own, at others using work completely made by others, but she places them within the space, such as a placement of children’s drawing on a pulpit and made into banners behind it. Throughout her work, especially her community based work, she brings up all sorts of questions. What is the nature of church art and who should be responsible for the art that inspires devotion? Is it better to have members create their own art as a spiritual practice? What is the new iconography of the church? Are icons or symbols still necessary? Why not put contemporary artists in the church like Chuck Close or Wilhelm De Kooning those instill awe even if they are secular (both she cited in fact De Kooning had in fact already created a triptych for a chapel)?
At first I was under the impression that Kapikian was a strictly a Christian artist as most of her work is found in churches and the fact she is the founded of Henry Luce III Center for Art and Religion at Wesley Theological Society in D.C. I was surprised to hear that she works with any community, at one point creating a Hoopa featuring the Psalm of Songs around the top for a local synagogue, and has created many pieces of work for sites that are used by multiple faiths, such as sanctuaries in airports, retirement home, hospitals, etc.
I grew to appreciate these multifaceted spaces she works with. On a basic level, it is already a difficult task to create a piece that can initiate awe and serenity for a range of people in addition to the fact many of these places are meant to encompass many activities that a secular in nature. These places are also often places where people are faced with unknown outcomes or are in constant motion changing continuously making it harder but all the more important to create a space that can be a refuge or at least instill peace during trying times. I appreciate the necessity of this form of art now.
No comments:
Post a Comment