Art Appreciation Final Essay

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ART APPRECIATION ESSAY
Christianity’s Perspective On Art
Made by: Ignasius Alvin Yo, Kevin Reinaldi, Sherlyn Chang (5A5)
Due: 27 November 2014
As we know, art originally comes from human and it is a synonym of knowledge. In
this modern period, we can see art of the essence of expression and human creativity. Art is
very hard to be explained and also to be rated. Because each artist chooses the rule and
parameters which leads their work by itself. Art is the expression or application of human
creative skill and imagination, typically in a visual form such as painting or sculpture,
producing works to be appreciated primarily for their beauty of emotional power. Art begins
when one person , with the object of joining another or others to himself in one and the same
feeling, expresses that feeling by certain external indications. The are various feelings of the
artists that may infect others like feelings love one’s own country, self devotion and
submission to fate or to God expressed in a drama, and many more.
Different types of art means various things, one of them is from Christian view. We as
students from Christian schools are taught about the truth of God from the Bible – taught to
behave like our Lord, who teaches kindness, humility, always tell the truth, etc. In this period
we see many works of art that do not show the elements of the Lord, and doesn’t contain a
clear sense of God. So we want to apply the works of art according to God’s will. The most
important thing isn’t for the work of art to contain the picture of God (it could be about nature
or even abstract painting), but its ability to glorify the name of God.
When people see the art, people should think about “how amazing our God is!” Our
reason of wanting art to have Christian meaning is because art is not a fluke of the
evolutionary process. It is part of the image of God which man was created. God said to us to
Christian art should, at times, reflect the original creation in all of its beauty, form, harmony
and goodness. No art work could be produced without the inclusion of God. God is the one
who gives every artist the talent and the ability to produce all the art works. He is the one
behind every work of art. To thank Him, we have to enclose the glory of God in every work
of art we make.

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The life of the artist itself also has to be in consistent with the word of God. A good
artist is someone who has a good character, a character which could reflect their God who
created them as a whole, according to the image of God. Their work of art firstly comes out
from their mind, which unwittingly represents themselves. This is where the reflection of
who they really are comes out. Every art work that man creates, have to be able to confess the
beauty and greatness of God. Art’s existance is for the glory of God. But any man can not
produce a work of art which reflects the beauty and glory of God, if the lifes of creator
behind the work itself isn’t consistent with the word of God.
There are a lot of transformations from art in the past to the art in present day. The artist
in the past such as Michael Angelo and Leonardo Da Vinci always inserted a Christian story
or perspective behind their masterpiece. They do their art for the church and the glory of God.
People can see an artist effort based on the subject matters they use. Artist on the Renaissance
era uses canvas and rocks to craft their masterpiece, yet they can make an everlasting
masterpiece. As technology is developing, artist on today’s era should be able to make a
better piece of art. Nevertheless, there is no piece of art that has been better than the art on the
Renaissance era. This phenomenom occurs due to the will of the artist. Artist nowaday uses
all instant subject matter to make or perform an art. They do not do their art with all of their
effort. In addition, the subject matters used is against Christian point of view. For example is
the type of clothes and music on the performance art that is against the Christian theology,
that has been very popular today.
In order to make a Christian Art, the verse Collosians 3:23 (Whatever you do, do your
work heartily, as for the Lord rather than for men) must be the foundation of every Christian
artist in making their piece of work. A Christian artist must pour all of their heart and effort
on their piece of work. They realize that the art that they made is to glorify God. However,
artist nowadays has different aims in making their artwork. Most of today’s artist purpose is
to express their opinions and feelings, to inform something, becoming famous and rich, and
to win prizes and awards. The artist’s ego plays a bigger role in setting the aim of the artist
rather than the Christian perspective. Artists in the present day rarely honored God from their
work. As a result, the name of God is rarely glorified from today’s piece of Art.
Whereas a christian art should make a meaningful piece of art, a lot of today’s artist
make a meaningles art. Eventhough there are still a lot of art that is meaningful and in
accordance with the word of God, most of today’s artist just think about the appereance of

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their art without trying to send a deep meaning inside it. Even more, some art today is
sending a meaning that is against the word of the Lord. For instance, in the music industry,
today there are a lot of hits that is clearly counter the word of God. The music lyric clearly
shows that the meaning of the song is to make people does not believe in God.
People can see whether the art is a Christian Art or not a Christian Art from the art
appereance. A Christian Art does not need to be perfect, but the appereance of a Christian Art
should reflect Christian values in it. So, people who see it can be blessed from the art. It also
should make people think and reflect about their relationship woth God. The example of a
good Christian Art is the sculpture of David, the Creation of Adam, etc. But, today, art is
rarely shows that kind of messages when people see the appereance of art. People who saw
today’s art can rarely realize any Christian values when they saw the appereance. Usually,
what people get is just about society and life.