Beyond Words: Art Inspired by Sacred Texts featured contemporary works by Mohamad Hafez, Meg Hitchcock, David Maxim, and Eleanor Creekmore Dickinson.
Texts are often central to religious traditions: sacred texts connect us to the divine and explain our place in the cosmos, they guide us in meditative practices, and they provide spiritual and behavioral guidance. The texts may be ancient, but their impact is timeless. They continue to be translated and interpreted by and for contemporary audiences.
This exhibition presented four artists whose work includes creative interpretations of sacred texts. The variety of art on display – multi-dimensional painting, delicate paperwork, flat line-drawing, and sculptural collage – showcased the power of sacred texts. The large-scale, three-dimensional work engaged us; the quiet, more delicate work drew us in. The artworks expressed joy and depicted sorrow, reflecting individual beliefs as well as speaking universal truths.
The exhibition catalog for Beyond Words includes essays by Graduate Theological Union students and faculty, written in response to these works of art – demonstrating, once more, that the sacred texts of the world’s religions remain a source of creative inspiration. Learn more about how to purchase this or one of our other exhibition catalogues.
