O’ GOOD LORD

O’ Good Lord: A Modern Look at Spiritual Imagery is a special holiday exhibition at Jackson Junge Gallery featuring a diverse group of artists from around the world.  The group exhibit will be on display from November 1^st, 2013 until January 12^th, 2014 at Jackson Junge Gallery, 1389 N Milwaukee Ave, Chicago, IL.  An opening reception with the artists will be held Friday, November 1^st, from 6-9PM. In the spirit of the season, guests are encouraged to dress for the reception in the theme of a “Saints & Sinners”.  Costumes are encouraged.   Both the opening reception and exhibit are free to the public. 

Throughout the history of art, religion has played a dominant role; patronizing, propagating, destroying, re-appropriating.  However, from the period of Modern Art onward, there has been a glorification of the secular and the critical; and while religion has not necessarily fallen by the wayside, it no longer wields the same power and dominance over Contemporary Art as it has in previous periods.

In an increasingly secular world, religion and spirituality have resurfaced as vehicles of self-expression and comfort.  Stemming from the 2011 exhibit at Jackson Junge Gallery, Angelicies: A Look at the Modern-Day Angel, O’ Good Lordbroadly investigates contemporary spirituality and religion. Information about other cultures, traditions, religions, and societies is more accessible than ever before, causing an unprecedented dissemination of thoughts and ideas.  The diffusion of other cultures and traditions greatly affects the art world, in large part because new ideas and institutions inspire artists to integrate new concepts into their artwork. 

In place of several large orthodox religions of eras past, contemporary religion has been segmented into countless sects and denominations. Moreover, spirituality is constantly explored and expanded by the religious, creating a diverse and relatively incalculable collection of individual spiritualities. 

O’ Good Lord is a survey of the presence of religion and spirituality in Contemporary Art.  Several artists from around the country explored themes which have been present for centuries.  Some artists showed iconography that has transformed within the modern context, while others critiqued and questioned the very institutions which their ancestors esteemed.  There are many pieces illustrating the transmission of cultures and traditions in order to channel the artist’s personal spirituality.  Some artists incorporate modern techniques and mediums in the representation of conventional religious icons.

“Suspended Belief,” Charles Moesch, Oil on Canvas, 24” x 24”

This ethereal painting represents the slow drift toward agnosticism in contemporary society.  Traditions held dear by older generations become rooted, even as the rest of the world falls away.  Moesch states, “This piece shows the breaking away from religion while still having it in the memory.”

“Spirituality,” Richard Liebenow, Oil on Canvas, 32” x 24”

In this painting, returning artist Richard Liebenow critiques the search for faith and religion in the technological age.  Liebenow describes his piece, “For many people today spirituality is not about religion or scientific answers, it is somewhere in between. Blocking out the noise and overabundance of (incomplete) information and reducing things to the most basic elements to find connection with the world around us. If man can balance logic and spirituality then Sisyphus can rise above his rock and burden.”

“Violation,” Eric Cooney, Mixed Media, 54” x 34”

In this installation sculpture, the artist critiques the violation of the American mantra, “In God We Trust.”  In this piece, a parking meter represents God as an authority figure that some people follow, and others ignore.  Parking meters to some seem necessary while others view them as an obsolete institution.  Cooney states, “People used to be criticized for ignoring parking meters, now the opposite is true. The broken concrete base symbolizes that broken relationship. Inside the glass dome of the meter are the words ‘In God We Trust.’ The ‘Violation’ flag is raised as when the timer runs out on a parking meter.”  This illustrates how there are contradictions between founding principles and modern society.