Aug
2014
Creative Spirituality
I think spirituality and religion is different. Religion is about some body’s belief and spirituality is something about the spirit world. In the definition I found online, spirituality means “a process of personal transformation in accordance with religious ideals. Since the 19th century spirituality is often separated from religion, and has become more oriented on subjective experience and psychological growth.”(Wikipedia) I prefer the meaning that spirituality is an individual’s experience and psychological growth. In this week’s article, Art as Spiritual Practice by Grey, A. (2001), Grey discuss the relationship of art and spirituality. This is an interesting topic. I consider that all of the artist has own spirituality world that is different with other people. Moreover, these artists are good at conveying their special ideas. Grey claim that “ drawing is a way of entering into the Spiritual Practice of art and seeing… a meditative concentration is needed to enter into a subject that you are drawing.” (p.87) That’s good explanation. We can study an artiste’s inner world through their work of art. An artwork is a good carrier to convey a person’s spirituality. Spirituality is unique in every person and can be influence by education, environment and wisdom. This is a postnatal spirituality. There is an innate spirituality that carried by people. I think the personal interest and inspiration is an innate spirituality. Grey stated “spirituality is the most mysterious step in the creative process. The artist is processed by a creative force, overtaken by a vision and driven to create. (p.82) So, an innate spirituality is very important to an artist and the painting, music and sculpture is a form of spirituality. Like Van Goh, Michelangelo, these famous artists have a special inspiration and their great artwork inspire several generations. Spirituality is an answer and reason for art. Because the inspiration, people create the art. Why people can create an art? Because Spirituality is the key.
Citation:
Grey, A. (2001). Art as Spiritual Practice. The Mission of Art (1st ed., pp. 205-233). Boston & London: Shambhala.
Jenny
August 8, 2014 at 1:58 pm (10 years ago)I enjoyed reading your reflection on spirituality and its relation to the art world. I agree in the sense that in the recent years there has been a separation growing between spirituality and religion, and for the most part artists seem to be valuing spirituality in the larger scope rather than religion. Your post made me wonder, what about art that is created without the influence of spirituality? Are there artists that are total atheists that simply create because they enjoy it with no higher meaning intended? Also on page 82 in Grey’s chapter of Art as Spiritual Practice, he states, “Inspiration means access to spirit . Spirit brings the vision to the artist via the imagination, the multidimensional media center of our minds.” This means that our imagination is tied to a spiritual sense implying that everyone carries spirituality within them.
Joon Gu
August 8, 2014 at 5:17 pm (10 years ago)I also agree with your statement that spirituality is different from religion. Religion is a person’s belief to have optimistic vision. Spirituality is a form of process that people would get from unknown objects. People get inspired on something new or fantastic. I think the reason people have a religion is that they get inspired on religious taught. In the point of art, artists see an object and imagine the reforms of the object. By the numerous influences, artists open their minds and draw a picture for future evaluation. It would be a process of getting spirit on their works. Grey states that “The artists’ spiritual eye recognizes the subject as a special aspect of the absolute”. The spiritual eye means they have been attracted to some objects and create a new form of art based on it. Like, artists create an art by inspiration on some object and tries to interpret it as their own way. That is art and we enjoy to look through the artists’ intention.