Tuesday, February 28 | 6-7pm
Zoom| $10 to participate
Pre-registration required; limited to 12 participants
Join Dr. Aaron Rosen for a critical reading + discussion group on contemporary art and spirituality. Participants will be provided, and asked to read in advance, several chapters from Rosen’s book Art & Religion in the 21st Century (Thames & Hudson, 2015).
About the discussion:
The image of the blaspheming modern artist, trampling on all that is good and holy, never fails to grab headlines. But while some artists simply aim to shock and offend religious sensibilities, they are surprisingly rare. Contemporary artists who engage seriously with religious traditions, themes, and institutions are much more prevalent and indeed much more interesting. It is time to set aside old assumptions about the antagonism between art and religion and look again with fresh eyes. Instead of proceeding from or toward a single definition of religion, this book looks instead for areas in which contemporary art poses critical questions for and about religion, including the fundamental dilemma: “What is religion?”
About the facilitator:
Dr. Aaron Rosen is Professor of Religion & Visual Culture and Director of the Henry Luce III Center for the Arts & Religion at Wesley Theological Seminary, Washington, D.C. He is also Visiting Professor at King’s College London, where he was Deputy Director of the Center for the Arts & the Sacred. Rosen began his career at Yale, Oxford, and Columbia, after receiving his PhD from Cambridge. He has curated exhibitions around the world and directs the not-for-profit Parsonage Gallery on the Maine coast, exploring ecology and spirituality through contemporary art. Rosen has provided commentary for various major publications and outlets, including PBS and the BBC. He is the author or editor of eleven books including: What Would Jesus See?; Art and Religion in the 21st Century; Encounters: The Art of Interfaith Dialogue; and Journey through Art, a history for young people translated into seven languages. He is currently working on a monograph entitled The Hospitality of Images: Modern Art and Interfaith Dialogue.
The Artist Toolbox is made possible by major support from the Roxanne Quimby Foundation.
To secure your spot in this workshop, purchase a ticket below. For cancellations and questions, please contact Rachel Romanski, rromanski@cmcanow.org.
Upcoming Critical Reading Groups:
March 13 | Billy Gerard Frank
April 10 | Julie Poitras Santos
April 25 | Sophie Hamacher
TBD | Erica Wall
Check back soon for more offerings, links, and tickets!