Contemplations: Highlights from the Spiritual and Religious Permanent Collection

June 30, 2020 - December 12, 2020

“One of the most important functions that an image can have is as a meditation between the physical or earthly and the unseen or spiritual through the practices of revealing and concealing.”

-Colum Hourihane

 

Works of art serve as powerful vessels of meaning that encourage viewers to ponder more deeply the everyday matters of life and the extraordinary realm of the sacred. By using symbolism and metaphor, the artworks in these galleries reveal ideas and ideals that lift our hearts and minds toward a new consideration of self and the world around us. The artists also intentionally conceal meanings, allowing the viewer to wrestle for understanding and clarity through conventional symbols and the mysteries of nature. Utilizing a variety of religious and spiritual perspectives, the artists invite us to encounter the divine and find relevance within our own souls for their messages and meaning.

Image: Ron Richmond, Catharsis (no. 36), 2013