Author Topic: Can banality or ugliness in art serve God? (Read 3029 times)

sedesvacans · « **on:** October 20, 2011, 03:05:08 PM »

Is it possible for an artist to "serve God" while using a medium that is not beautiful?

Or is art a field where no one can judge the art by itself but only judge the message that is purports to promote?

Is it all based on opinion? Or is there a way to measure this as true?

Is "christian rock" something that actually exists? Or is the effect that it has on the mind actually opposed to the message?

I am curious to know anyone's thoughts on this subject.

I believe that it is not possible to promote ugly modern art and claim it to be for the glory of God.

Is getting a tattoo with an image of the Virgin Mary or dressing in makeup and spandex and yellng about God into a microphone at 110 decibels glorifying to God?

God created the universe with lawfulness and order and beauty and gave us the ability to understand its order and also gave us the intellect and emotion to differentiate between ugliness and beauty. He gave us the capacity to further our knowledge of the created universe and the will to advance our understanding to become ourselves more "in His image".

11 When I was a child, I spoke as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child. But, when I became a man, I put away the things of a child.

poche · « **Reply #1 on:** October 11, 2012, 06:02:10 AM »

A true artist can make anyting beautiful

Vandaler · « **Reply #2 on:** October 11, 2012, 07:20:06 AM »

The question can be simplified to: does bad art exist?

Sure it does, for the simple reason that it's available to anyone to create. That does not mean that bad art is without purpose. Some people derive satisfaction or release in the mere action of creating. That positive being given to anyone to grab is, to me, enough to answer your question.

George Tautkus · « **Reply #3 on:** October 25, 2012, 09:14:55 PM »

Intent comes into play. If it's intended to be bad we really need to know the reason. I'd be ok with a charicature of Martin Luther that was done in a bad style, as opposed to a picture of Christ in the same style. It's a very complicated question.

When it comes to the artist, intent is key. When it comes to the audience, it is important to know that the medium often superceds the message.

It might be worth checking out what the Catholic convert Marshall McCluhan had to say about it, if you haven't already.

I think christian rock may not work because the medium of rock supercedes the message of christianity.

Stephen Francis · « **Reply #4 on:** October 26, 2012, 05:53:00 PM »

+JMJ+

Music, art, dance and every other creative expression have one great purpose: to honor and glorify Almighty God and to bring the truths His Church teaches us to light.

The problem with 'christian' (so-called) rock music or any other populist attempt at relevancy, is that most of these 'artists' are striving for the LOWEST common denominator. That's why today, we have the joyous strains of 'christian rap', which is, for the uninitiated, made up of the dulcet tones of someone saying rhyming words, usually in an idiotic pidgin language that barely resembles English, over a repetitive and animal drum beat or other loop of noise.

I have been playing guitar for 25 years now, and I can play the vast majority of 'christian rock' after hearing it once, because it is usually kindergarten-simple. The lyrics often reflect the banal and, again, intentionally populist bent of the composer.

Art, as they say, imitates life in many ways. It tells of our desires, devotions, biases, loves, hates and goals. With that said, our spiritual lives very often reflect the diet of art, music and other creative expressions we fill ourselves with.

In short, if we were to truly plumb the depths and scale the heights of GREAT music, we would realize VERY quickly that "Lord, I lift your name on high' and all the other prot-rot lyrics are no suitable match at all for the wonder and awe that truly Christian music inspires in us. Likewise, "O Salutaris Hostia" cannot be wedded to "sturm und drang" rock music; it is simply too lofty and sublime an expression of truth and adoration to be paired with two-finger grade-school guitar chords.

St. Cecilia, lover of music and worshiper of Our Lord Jesus Christ, pray for us.

Mary, Help of Christians, pray for us.

Most Sacred Heart of Jesus, have mercy on us.