Which Church has the best artwork?

[johnhanks]

How on earth is it "exploitative"?

In the mental "sympathy" buttons the artist (consciously, I suspect) presses. How about clichéd and sentimental?

 

[Breathe]

In the mental "sympathy" buttons the artist (consciously, I suspect) presses.

How is that a bad thing?

How about clichéd

Why? Because Jesus is portrayed as Western? Welcome to the West.
Have a look at Chinese, Thai, and Ethiopian images of Jesus.

and sentimental?

How is that a bad thing?

 

[johnhanks]

How is that a bad thing?

Good question; only, I suppose, in its blatancy. Michelangelo's Pieta presses our sympathy buttons as well, but the sublimity of the execution transcends any manipulative aspect; I do not think that is true of the painting in question. You and yaddoe may, of course, disagree.

Why [clichéd]? Because Jesus is portrayed as Western?

No, because he's portrayed with all the stereotypical trappings - halo, long wavy hair, steady gaze into the far distance...

How is [sentimental] a bad thing?

I concur with the author of the Wikipedia article on this one::

... current usage defines [sentimentality] as an appeal to shallow, uncomplicated emotions at the expense of reason.

 

[Breathe]

Good question; only, I suppose, in its blatancy. Michelangelo's Pieta presses our sympathy buttons as well, but the sublimity of the execution transcends any manipulative aspect; I do not think that is true of the painting in question. You and yaddoe may, of course, disagree.

I do.

No, because he's portrayed with all the stereotypical trappings - halo, long wavy hair, steady gaze into the far distance...

Probably because these are how Jesus is portrayed. Is there anything wrong with this?

I concur with the author of the Wikipedia article on this one::

Can you reason artwork?

 

[SageTree]

Concerning Christianity, for me, it's Orthodox Icons, hands down... or hands reaching out, rather.

I dearly love the inside of Mosques though. Maybe more than Orthodox icons.

 

[Shiranui117]

The Holy Virgin Russian Orthodox Cathedral in San Francisco

St. Basil's Cathedral in Moscow

The largest and proudest church of all Christendom at it's time, the Hagia Sophia from Constantinople:

Holy Trinity Serbian Orthodox Church in Butte, Montana

If you follow this link, you can spin around, up, down, left and right and see the entire church! Serbian

And the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem, the place where Our Lord rose from the dead, is not to be forgotten:

 

[johnhanks]

I do.

(I'd guessed.)

Probably because these are how Jesus is portrayed. Is there anything wrong with this?

Only if the clichés are all there is.

Can you reason artwork?

A poster has created a thread on a debate forum to promote the view that one particular church's artwork has superior qualities. Reasoned argument is the purpose of a debate forum. Are you suggesting that putting an opposing view, and then backing it up with reasons, is somehow inappropriate here?

 

[Flat Earth Kyle]

There is quite the contrast between the inside of a Temple and the inside of a Cathedral.

 

[Flat Earth Kyle]

 

[Breathe]

(I'd guessed.)

Good guess?

Only if the clichés are all there is.

Draw one then.

A poster has created a thread on a debate forum to promote the view that one particular church's artwork has superior qualities. Reasoned argument is the purpose of a debate forum. Are you suggesting that putting an opposing view, and then backing it up with reasons, is somehow inappropriate here?

OP says "is it just me, or do". Not "they have the best artwork". Question, not statement.

And I don't think you can rationalize art any more than you can poetry.

 

[johnhanks]

OP says "is it just me, or do". Not "they have the best artwork". Question, not statement.

And it received an answer. As I pointed out, the issue was placed on a debate forum. This suggests the question "do the Latter-day Saints have the best artwork?" was put up for debate, with the thread originator clearly indicating he thought the answer was "yes". Putting contrary views and defending them is what debate forums are for.

And I don't think you can rationalize art any more than you can poetry.

An opinion you might wish to discuss with yaddoe, who clearly believed LDS art was an appropriate topic for reasoned argument. Why else would he choose to put it on a debate forum?

With that, I drop out of this exchange; feel free to have the last word.

 

[sojourner]

I'm having trouble with the term "best." "Best" as to what? Breadth of emotional appeal? Usefulness as a focal point for contemplation? Aesthetic? Evidence of effective artistic expression? Evidence of masterful use of artistic tools? What?

 

[Flat Earth Kyle]

I'm having trouble with the term "best." "Best" as to what? Breadth of emotional appeal? Usefulness as a focal point for contemplation? Aesthetic? Evidence of effective artistic expression? Evidence of masterful use of artistic tools? What?

That is a good question. I suppose I am asking for the best all the way around. If you feel your artwork is better in someway feel free to post it. I enjoy seeing the artwork of other faiths.

I personally favor LDS artwork the most because there is nothing creepy about it. And it has a good feeling about it, even in the intense scenes.

 

[Father Heathen]

There are actually quite a few very white Jews and Arabs living in Jerusalem. To say Jesus was a brown Iraqi would be a mistake.

So you're honestly insisting that Jesus was indeed the blue eyed, blond haired guy that he's popularly portrayed as, and that it's incorrect to assume that he more likely looked like the actual inhabitants, dark skinned semitic people, of that region?

 

[Father Heathen]

The Mormons do have some pretty sweet looking temples.

 

[Flat Earth Kyle]

So you're honestly insisting that Jesus was indeed the blue eyed, blond haired guy that he's popularly portrayed as, and that it's incorrect to assume that he more likely looked like the actual inhabitants, dark skinned semitic people, of that region?

Then again, you think Native Americans were jewish, sooo..... yeah.

Poppycock.

Gobbledygook.

All I am saying is it is likely he could of looked like that.

 

[Father Heathen]

All I am saying is it is likely he could of looked like that.

Maybe, if what they say about Tiberius Iulius Abdes Pantera is true.

 

[Me Myself]

All I am saying is it is likely he could of looked like that.

how are you defining "likely" here?

 

[Shiranui117]

There is quite the contrast between the inside of a Temple and the inside of a Cathedral.

Quite. Aside from the Baptismal font, the pictures you posted looked very much like a really swanky person's house.

Up until now I've only posted pictures of the nave, mostly looking towards the iconostasis (icon wall/barrier with two side doors and a double-door in the center) that marks the boundary between the nave and the Sanctuary, or altar. Now let's venture into the sanctuary!

Here, we have antimension, the cloth lying in the middle of the altar. the Gospel book stands prominently in front of the Tabernacle, which contains some reserved particles of the Eucharist, is the chapel-shaped thing in the center of the altar. Immediately behind it you can see the processional cross, and to either side of the cross you can see the altar fans, used in procession and formerly used to keep flies away from the bread and chalice before and during their consecration into the Body and Blood of Christ.

Another altar that looks a little fancier, thanks to the altar cloths and iconography in the background The Gospel Book is covered by the antimension here.

 

[Katzpur]

I personally favor LDS artwork the most because there is nothing creepy about it. And it has a good feeling about it, even in the intense scenes.

I think something you are failing to take into account is that virtually all LDS artwork dates from the late 19th century or later. It's not necessarily the fact that the artist is LDS that makes LDS art have "a good feeling" about it. Had the LDS Church been around during medieval times, for instance, I think we can pretty much assume that LDS art would have been pretty much indistinguishable from any of the rest of the art we see from that period. Artistic styles change over time, and while I agree that LDS art is almost never "dark" (or what you have called "creepy,") there are reasons for that which you aren't taking into account.