Het schemergebied tussen Venus en Madonna

Abstract

The relation between the churches and modern art in Holland has seriously cooled off. The two lead seperate lives, practically completely detached from each other. It is true, but on the other hand there is an increasing interest in the relation between art and religion, also in view of publications and conferences. The sceptical attitude of art with regard to the church arises in particular from the fact that since the nineteenth century the main part of the art in the church has been Neo-Gothic. In the fifties the Vatican still pointed to the fact that the religious art has a task of its own and that it need not bother about the developments in modern art. In the nineteenth century art got an ever increasing independence, which among other things appears from the work of Caspar David Friedrich, who in his paintings searched for a strongly personal-coloured religious perception. He wanted to give expression to authentic experiences in a non-traditional context. The relation between church and art is also problematic because of the discussion about a univocal interpretation of a work of art and comprehensibility on the one hand and openness to several interpretations on the other. With many modern works of art the image doesn’t determine its meaning, but the meaning of the work is largely determined by context, surroundings and viewers. With this it is the reason for changing interpretations. The difficulties come strongly forward when looking at abstract art. Two important abstract painters, Marc Rothko and Barnett Newman, have drawn attention to the fact that they have bothered themselves with mystery and religion in their work. The last few years there has been an increasing interest in religion in the works of artists. An example of it is Marc Mulders. He turns against indolent irony and appeals apparently to the institute church. He blames the church for not having an eye for vital developments in the world, for suffering and violence. Mulders and the Frenchman Jean-Michel Alberola, who illustrated an evangelistary under the authority of the "Comité d’Art Sacré", show an extremely personal relation to religion. With many modern artists the relation to religion has often become a relation of questioning, rather a question of re-evaluation than of faithful servitude.