Art in churches
Art has been almost synonymous with the church since the dawn of Christianity. Art in churches is created by church members or for the church by commissioned artists.
The works of church art may include architecture, applied arts, decorative arts, sculptures, iconography (aka visual art), installation, or performance art. Church videos, music, and other art forms may be included in the wider sense of art in churches.
The core subject matter of art in churches has traditionally been the times and life of Jesus Christ and those associated with Him, including the saints, his disciples, the pope, etc. It may also include church-related objects like motifs of the scripture and the bible.
It has been over a century since Mary Hartwell commissioned Agnes F. Northrop to design the Hartwell memorial window to honor Frederick Hartwell, her husband. The artwork was given to the Community Church of Providence, Rhode Island. It was kept in the church sanctuary until 2018 when a unanimous decision by the congregation saw …
The Hartwell Memorial Window by Agnes Northrop – Dazzling & Monumental Read More
In early 1962, renowned artist Marc Chagall stood in the synagogue at the Hadassah-Hebrew University Medical Centers in Jerusalem. Above him were twelve stained-glass windows that he had designed himself. It was this where he delivered a touching speech. Chagall had an audience of about three hundred people as he installed the windows, including …
Chagall’s iconic windows at the Hadassah Hospital in Jerusalem Read More
Night Coming Tenderly, Black is the work of photographer Dawoud Bey. It consists of large-scale portraits that dive into the literary history as it tries to re-create the practice of the slaves escaping on the Underground Railroad. When Bey visited the outskirts of Cleveland in 2017, he realized that the landscape did not primarily …
Dawoud Bey’s somber Night Coming Tenderly, Black project Read More
Who is Gerhard Richter? Gerhard Richter is an 87-year-old German artist, mostly known for his photorealistic paintings. Many regard him as one of the most dumbfounding and hardworking artists. He still keeps himself busy, creating new works, mostly in his Cologne studio. Cologne Cathedral Window, 2007 Richter has also proven his generosity. He donated one …
You have never seen a church window like this – Gerhard Richter Read More
Rainbow Church Rainbow church is aptly named and refers to an eight-meter-high installation that creates a rainbow as light is refracted within its space. The installation is a wall of crystal prism that throws off rainbows to anyone within the installation space. The 500 crystal prisms that make up the installation allow light passing through …
Tokujin Yoshioka’s Rainbow Church – The liberation of light Read More
History of the Rothko Chapel The Rothko Chapel has been providing a space for people in need of spiritual guidance and meditation since it was established back in 1971. The Rothko Chapel was founded and dedicated as an intimate sanctuary that was open for anyone of any religious or spiritual belief by Houston philanthropists Dominique …
What is Rothko’s Chapel in Houston all about? Read More
Xu Bing is an internationally celebrated Chinese artist. He works in a couple of disciplines and materials but the most common is ink painting, printmaking, and calligraphy. Xu has worked with pigs and silkworms. Though, one of his well-known installations is a gigantic flying dragon titled Phoenix. How was Phoenix created? The installation features …
What is Xu Bing’s gigantic Phoenix project? Read More
