“since religious convictions arouse strong emotion, people seeking power have used versions of Christianity ever since to promote their social and political agendas.”
Elaine Pagels, Miracles and Wonder: The Historical Mystery of Jesus
Throughout history, beliefs have shaped societies—and sometimes, been shaped by those in power. Christianity, like many faiths, has been adapted to serve a wide range of political and social aims. At the same time, art, culture, and storytelling reflect these shifting interpretations—and what they reveal about the times in which they were created.
Catalina Chervin joined us to talk about her show, States of Consciousness, which ran until May 31 at Hutchinson Modern. The title of the show, which was coined by Edward Sullivan, the show’s curator, speaks to both Chervin’s states of consciousness as well as those of the viewers of her work. To learn more about this, listen to the complete interview.
Mark Mulroney chatted about his show, Clark, which ran until May 17 at Mrs. Gallery. Because his wife sees all the work and is on the outside of Mulroney’s artistic practice, he often asks her to write the press releases for his shows, leading to revelations about the work he himself often misses. For this show, he created dozens of paintings and drawings of famous icons before landing on Clark Kent/Superman. He then explored the relationship between the two sides of this character, bringing in the element of failure. To learn more, listen to the complete interview.
A Few Words to Keep in Your Pocket.
What will the art of this moment tell the world in centuries to come?
Outings.
Join me at the Navy Yards in Brooklyn for Whispers of the Soul: The Art of Hermes Torres
Interviews are available on iTunes as podcasts, and for Android, please click here. All weekly essay pieces are here in a shareable format. The full archive of interviews is here.
More Books to Read.
Ours is a community of readers. Tell us what books you’re reading now by adding your titles to our reading list here. Praxis user Sadie Bridger recommends Bill Bryson’s A Short History of Nearly Everything
Opportunities.
Art on Lincoln offers $75,000 to an artist or artist team to create a temporary public artwork along Miami Beach’s Lincoln Road, enriching its vibrant cultural and pedestrian experience. To learn more, visit the website. Submission deadline is June 18.