Art History 101

Research Paper Guidelines

Art and Religion

Due Thursday, April 23 by 6:00pm.  

Must be at least 5 pages in length, but not longer than 7 pages

Include title page, works cited page (not counted in above total pages)

Double space, times new roman, 12-point font, 1-inch margins

Must use at least 3 book sources, be sure to cite your sources throughout the paper

Must use at least 3 pieces of art, but not more than 5. 

Include images of these at the end of paper following works cited page.

Use whichever format you are most familiar with (mlb, apa, chicago) 

Is there a special relationship between art and religion?  There are many reasons to think so; indeed, there seems to be a rich web of relationships between the two.  The arts have always been integral to religion.  Sacred pictures, sacred symbols, sacred dances, chants, hymns and tunes have been used in rituals, in places of worship, and as aids to prayer and meditation in every religion.  Judging by this alone, the arts seem to be natural vehicles for expressing or connecting with the transcendent.

Outside of formal religious contexts, religion has traditionally been as integral to the arts as to the rest of culture.  The arts in traditional cultures transmit the central beliefs and values of those cultures, and those beliefs and values have a strong religious or spiritual dimension.

Art that is described as spiritual may reference or represent a spiritual and/or religious tradition. Whether referring to specific religious traditions or not, spirituality concerns the feelings stirred or probed by the art, which may prompt viewers to reflect on the meaning of life, often drawing on existential questions, such as: Why are we here?  What are we doing?  What happens after life ends?  A sense of the spiritual also gives people the sense of belonging that they crave, a feeling that they are part of something greater than the self.  The spiritual also contrasts with the material, where the material concerns acquisitiveness and worldly success.  

The relationship between art and spirituality has been historically mediated through the relationship between art and religion, something which has been periodically problematic throughout the centuries.  Central to the role of the artist has been a preoccupation with the deeper questions of life, often to reveal sights that are normally kept hidden from the public gaze and to challenge entrenched beliefs.  The process of creating art is often described in quasi-mystical terms, whereby the artist-as-shaman unleashes or channels special creative powers in a process of making that transports the viewer to a different realm of the imaginary.  Given these affinities between the roles of art and spirituality, it is unsurprising that spirituality has been an enduring feature of art over the centuries.

In interrogating the relationship between art and religion, some questions to answer in this research paper are: 

What is the nature of the dialogue between art and religion?

How do the two come together?

What form does the meeting take?

How does art define religion?

What influence does art have on religion?  Ex: did the art lead to changes in religion?

What influence does religion have on art?  Ex: did religion lead to changes in art?

Discuss the dichotomy of art and religion in terms of the effects on culture and society.

Is religious art propaganda?  Choose a side and support your argument with your chosen pieces of art.