- Feb 5, 2002
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Liveliness instead of a special church world
Bishop Hermann Glettler
Bishop of the Diocese of Innsbruck, people's missionary, art educator and artist
This year in St Nicholas, Innsbruck. With the total support of the Bishop
See Bishop finds good in the work of the Blood Orgy Master. The Bishop is a modern tribute act to the most decadent of Renaissance Popes.
Many more stories on Bishop Glettler.
What's the matter? Provocation is not the criterion. It's about liveliness, depth, breadth and existential relevance. I know that high-quality art always creates frictional energy - but also that provocation for its own sake is ridiculous. Equally unfavorable is the knee-jerk judgment that everything that does not correspond to one's own taste is provocative or even blasphemous. Yes, contemporary art can disturb – and even hurt. But is there life and real faith in the absence of interference?
Not boring
The widow of Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny was a guest at the EU Parliament in Strasbourg. In her speech, Yulia Navalnaya explained how her ruthlessly murdered husband had managed, despite the regime's repression, to use his creativity to become the most important opposition politician in Russia. “He was the exact opposite of boring. If you want to defeat Putin, you have to be inventive and stop being a bore,” she said. So maybe more Easter creativity? And a fresh impulse through contemporary art?
We have to learn to look again - and to be amazed. Also the healing fright. Christianity's first depiction of the cross is a mocking graffiti from the 3rd century. It shows the crucified man with a donkey's head and underneath it says: "Alexamenos pays homage to God". That says it all. People made fun of this crazy religion that worships a man hanged on a cross. We have become accustomed to the depictions of the cross – unfortunately. We also often no longer see the sophisticated nature of the old church art.
A healing process
Art interventions can initiate a healing dialogue. It's not so much about individual artifacts, but about a process. About compassion and openness to diverse life experiences. Last year, Christian Eisenberger showed haunting images of lament in Innsbruck's Servitenkirche. The great wounds of our time were visible. Shocking for many. It was only over the course of 40 days that people started to get involved. Praying became more solidarity. Church must not be sufficient for itself.
At the Mass on Good Friday, I was touched by the complaint about the false prophets who talk to the people. They are accused of not having persuaded people to repent. Literally: “ad paenitentiam provocarent” (Lamentations 2:14), translated: “not having provoked to repentance”. I see that art occasionally has to do this job. The Latin “provocare” has an important field of association – to evoke, to awaken, to cause to grow, to stimulate, to challenge to fight.
Protection from feel-good spirituality
Continued below.
Liveliness instead of a special church world
Bishop Hermann Glettler
Bishop of the Diocese of Innsbruck, people's missionary, art educator and artist
This year in St Nicholas, Innsbruck. With the total support of the Bishop
See Bishop finds good in the work of the Blood Orgy Master. The Bishop is a modern tribute act to the most decadent of Renaissance Popes.
Many more stories on Bishop Glettler.
What's the matter? Provocation is not the criterion. It's about liveliness, depth, breadth and existential relevance. I know that high-quality art always creates frictional energy - but also that provocation for its own sake is ridiculous. Equally unfavorable is the knee-jerk judgment that everything that does not correspond to one's own taste is provocative or even blasphemous. Yes, contemporary art can disturb – and even hurt. But is there life and real faith in the absence of interference?
Not boring
The widow of Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny was a guest at the EU Parliament in Strasbourg. In her speech, Yulia Navalnaya explained how her ruthlessly murdered husband had managed, despite the regime's repression, to use his creativity to become the most important opposition politician in Russia. “He was the exact opposite of boring. If you want to defeat Putin, you have to be inventive and stop being a bore,” she said. So maybe more Easter creativity? And a fresh impulse through contemporary art?
We have to learn to look again - and to be amazed. Also the healing fright. Christianity's first depiction of the cross is a mocking graffiti from the 3rd century. It shows the crucified man with a donkey's head and underneath it says: "Alexamenos pays homage to God". That says it all. People made fun of this crazy religion that worships a man hanged on a cross. We have become accustomed to the depictions of the cross – unfortunately. We also often no longer see the sophisticated nature of the old church art.
A healing process
Art interventions can initiate a healing dialogue. It's not so much about individual artifacts, but about a process. About compassion and openness to diverse life experiences. Last year, Christian Eisenberger showed haunting images of lament in Innsbruck's Servitenkirche. The great wounds of our time were visible. Shocking for many. It was only over the course of 40 days that people started to get involved. Praying became more solidarity. Church must not be sufficient for itself.
At the Mass on Good Friday, I was touched by the complaint about the false prophets who talk to the people. They are accused of not having persuaded people to repent. Literally: “ad paenitentiam provocarent” (Lamentations 2:14), translated: “not having provoked to repentance”. I see that art occasionally has to do this job. The Latin “provocare” has an important field of association – to evoke, to awaken, to cause to grow, to stimulate, to challenge to fight.
Protection from feel-good spirituality
Continued below.
