ENGAGING CULTURE

This is a harder question to answer than it may seem. That is because advancements in technology have presented us with various new mediums, so that the definition of art has expanded to include digital photography, graphic or web design, and especially video and film. When you add all the traditional notions of art (painting, photography, sculpture, music, dance, etc.) this becomes a very large field of study.

The problem is made exponentially worse by the fact that the boundaries of art are dissolving before our eyes. Art is combining with business in advertising, art is combining with science in the design of newer and fancier electronic gadgets, and art is combining with design to make fashion. In fact, this has called questions to the minds of art critics themselves about whether or not the future of art is a stable one.

Instead of the value being placed upon aesthetics and meaning, today’s art elevates the meaningless, and banal things because of their unique, clever, or even vulgar presentation. It is widely rumored among critics that the appreciation for and study of the traditional art forms will be non-existent in twenty or thirty years.

I believe that people are still searching for aesthetic art that will touch them emotionally or spiritually. So the person or group who embraces true beauty found in Christian and non-Christian art and begins discussing the meaning behind the art (for most popular art produced today is largely meaningless), they will have an audience who is ready and eager.

To boil it down to it’s most basic definition, Art is simply creativity taking some physical form. This is a human capability which reflects our creator. God is the creator, and he is creative. And one thing that goes along with being made in his image is this creative spark. In the past few decades, Christians have been deafeningly silent in the area of artistic development. We have turned to more confrontational and harsh approaches to share the gospel and have left behind the creativity given to us by God.

We need a renaissance of art in our day. Christian artists, of all kinds, need to step forward and show the world the true beauty, which can only be found in the story of the gospel. This is not to say that every painting has to have a cross on a hill or a bloody crown of thorns. Nor is this to say that the art is more important than the message. The message is the source of the inspiration and creative spark. The message always influences the art, not vice-versa. Art without a message ceases to be art, because it fails to inspire.