RELIGIOUS ART | TALK OF WEEK

AOA NEWS
By Tahlib

'FIRE IN MY BELLY" (above) by artist David Wojnarowicz is once again America's most talked about work of art dealing with religion. The 4-minute video which went on display this past Friday at the Brooklyn Museum has been condemned, again, by the Roman Catholic leadership, but are they right? We invite readers to watch the video, and to share your thoughts on whether the attacks are justified?

1. Yes, justified. This video is sacrilegious, and the museum is dead wrong for showing it.
2. Not justified. The video is a challenging work of religious art created by a Roman Catholic to reflect his religious beliefs. We should be learning not protesting.
3. Neither. It's just Art, and instead we should be talking about the Egyptian artist who posted her nude photographs online to protest Islamic extremism.

Listed below are the other news stories of the past week from the world of religious art. The stories are grouped by the five largest faith traditions, with an additional category for other/interfaith.

BUDDHIST ART:

• Buddhist Artwork Teaches Key Lesson of Faith: "Impermanence" (Evansville Courier Press)
• Bonsia Art of Ancient Buddhist Monk's Birthed Today's Arborsculpture (Columbia Daily Tribune)
• Colorado Museum Exhibit Features Art by Tibetan Priests (The Coloradoan)

HINDU ART:

• Hindu God's Artistic Talents Inspire 7-year-old Google Doodler (The Hindu)
• When a Hindu Paints Quranic Verses: United We Stand (Weekend Leader)
• New Film Explores Religious Censorship of India's Artists (Economic Times)
• Hindu Temple Art is Part of Story in MET's Islamic Art Galleries (The Hindu)

ISLAMIC ART:

• Egyptian Artist Poses Nude via Twitter to Protest Islamic Extremism (International Business Times)
• New York's Met New Islamic Art Wing Seeks to Overturn Prejudice With Beauty (Radio Free Europe)
• NYC Museum Galleries Refocus Gaze on Islamic Art Calligraphy (Rueters)

JEWISH ART:

• Hillel in Canada Offers Arts Fellowship (Canadian Jewish News)
• The First Jewish Museum Opened During Nazi Era (ArtDaily)
• Art's Doing Well as Path to Interfaith Dialogue in Philadelphia (Jewish Exponent)
• Video: Jewish Art Salon Creates Online Exhibit for Global Day of Jewish Learning (AOA News)
• Mac Miller and a generation of Jewish hip-hop (Jewish Journal)
• Siona Benjamin Exhibits at Princeton Through Dec. 31 (Central Jersey.com)

CHRISTIAN ART:

• Detroit Institute of Art Embraces Challenge on Marketing Religion, Art (Detroit Free Press)
• Martini's and the Ecstacy of St. Terese on Menu in Indianapolis (AOA News)
• Mendelsshohn's Elijah, a Concert in Today's Context (AOA News)
• Video: "The Four Gospels" featuring Makoto Fujimura (AOA News)
• ‘I’m a Mormon’ Advertising Campaign Seeks to Improve Image (The New York Times)
• Museum Advertising Brings Art and Artists to Life (The New York Times)
• Rembrandt pays a visit: Detroit Institute of Art exhibit shows painter's impression of Christ: (The Windsor Star)
• Sister Wendy's Advice on Art Beyond My Comfort Zone (AOA News)
• Catholic Church Buys the Crystal Cathedral in California for $57.5M (Los Angeles Times)
• "Seven Days of Creation" by Edgar G. Boevé (1958) | (Calvin Theological Seminary)
• Springville Museum Hosts 26th Annual Spiritual and Religion Art Show (Daily Universe)

INTERFAITH/RELATED ART:

• If Scientology Made a Hip-Hop Video (Flavorpill)
• Video of the Week: Artist EJaaz Collins Winning Entry for A&O Scholarship (AOA News)
• Benetton’s New Kissing Ads, includes Pope Kissing Imam (Washington Post)
• Video: Unhate Campaign - The film by Benetton (Benetton)
• Video: Unhate Campaign - Press Meeting in Paris on November 16th (Benetton)
• Catholic League won't Fight Ant-Crucifix Video at Brooklyn Museum (NY Daily News)
• Brooklyn Museum Salutes Catholic Artist, David Wojnarowicz for Fire in My Belly (AOA News)
• Brooklyn Bishop Attacks Video in Gay Art Show "HIDE/SEEK" (Daily Beast)
• Sneak Peak at Brooklyn Museum's Controversial "HIDE/SEEK" Exhibit (NY Daily News)

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