Yesterday I went to the Denver Art Museum for the second time. My wife's uncle and his significant other were in town and wanted to go, so my wife and I played the role of tour guide. (For the record, I got lost in downtown Denver.) For any of you who are in the area, I highly recommend going for a visit.
The progression of art is actually very interesting. Until I met my wife, who has an art degree, I never paid much attention to art and art history, but (in my case) a little education can open up a world I never knew existed. Jessica (my wife) has helped me to understand some of the technical aspects of painting and photography, as well as the progression of art throughout history. The other main source for my very basic understanding of art (which reflects much more on the student than on the teacher) is How Should We Then Live? by Francis Schaeffer. In this book, he presents his ideas on the flow of culture from the Ancient Greeks to the present day, often using art as the method of his cultural hermeneutic.
I am, admittedly, a left-brained visitor trying to understand a right-brained world. Some things I get, and some things I don't. I think, however, that I have learned at least to appreciate human creativity more. In fact, I think this is one of the key areas in which we are made in God's image. God created the world; we get to create things, too. Some of us are better at words, some at music, some at art, but we all create. We all have an imagination. We are all, in a sense, little gods running around creating new worlds. I bet that brings a smile to God's face.
God saw all that He had made, and behold, it was very good. - Gen 1:31
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Commentary about the philosophical, theological, musical and cultural landscapes of our day. And, of course, the occasional book review.
5 comments:
Amen on the whole left brain right brain thing. I've read Schaeffer's "Art and the Bible" recently and also "escape from reason" as you know, which seem to have similar themes. Also just finished "surprised by joy" by Lewis, which chronicles his love and appreciation of literature. Now instead of looking at art and yawning, I look at it probably more like a deaf cabinet maker looks at a beautiful piano; realizing that there's more to it than I'm getting, but am simpy unable to grasp it. How sad.
So, what do you left-brained guys think: Is there truth in art? If so, is there a truth communicated that is non-propositional???
Jonathan,
Your post put a smile on my face. Yes, I would say one can communicate truth via art in a non-propositional form.
There, I said it. Happy now? :)
What exactly are you guys proposing? Jon has your blog taken some strange u-turn since my last visit? :]
I like the emphasis on the arts, the Church has not engaged enough in this area over the past several... well for a long time.
It's a holdover from a conversation on another blog.
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