RELIGIOUS ART | NEWS OF WEEK

ALPHA OMEGA ARTS 
BY TAHLIB

Join us on Friday for "Amahl and the Night Visitors", a Christmas Opera written for Americans. I was inspired to order tickets for the Indianapolis Opera's 2014 production following the setup of our Nativity scene at home. Written in 1951 by Gian Carlo Menotti, it was first performed on December 24, 1951, and he said it was inspired by his forgotten childhood. In Menotti's childhood in Italy, Three Kings, and not Santa Claus delivered Christmas gifts, but when he came to America he forgot it. One day however, walking through the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the memories rushed back when he saw Hieronymus Bosch's "The Adoration of the Magi" (above), making it my NEWS OF WEEK.

In other religious art news from across the USA, and around the world:

• Buddhist Art of Week: Liuligongfang’s "Buddha in Glass" for Bodhi Day. [More News]
• Christian Art of Week: Norman Rockwell's "Saying Grace" sells for $46 Million. [More News]
• Hindu Art of Week: Smithsonian's Yoga exhibit spotlights church-state debate. [More News]
• Islamic Art of Week: U of Michigan to exhibit 11 centuries of Islamic Art. [More News]
• Judaic Art of Week: Metropolitan Museum displays Judaica for Hanukkah. [More News]

We are all members, united in the search for human meaning through art from the religious imagination. For us, it's more than Art. It's Religion. We follow artists who dare to explore religious ideas with their creative vision. When you follow religious artists, you join others who do the same. Some of us join as one of the "Collectors" of the A&O Project who make the final decisions; others as "Curators" when they donate to the Artist Fund; and most of us join as "Subscribers" to this "free" weekly newsletter; (or follow on: Tumblr, Twitter, Facebook, or Soundcloud). All are welcome.

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A Day of Enlightenment: Bodhi Day on December 8, 2013

ALPHA OMEGA ARTS
By TAHLIB

Different oral traditions have different dates for the Buddha's birth. Photograph: Narendra Shrestha/EPA

On December 8, Buddhist commemorate the holyday of Bohdi Day, marking the historical moment when Buddha, Siddhartha Gautauma (Shakyamuni) experienced enlightenment. There are more than 488 million Buddhists worldwide. The U.S. State Department's International Religious Freedom Report for 2004 indicates that 1.0% of the U.S. population is Buddhist, which would mean a total of 3,000,000 Buddhists (give or take about 100,000). Buddhists believe in reincarnation and strive for the state of nirvana. Enlightenment is achieved through morality, meditation and wisdom. There are three major branches of Buddhism - Mahayana, Theravada and Vajrayana Buddhism.

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Judaica on View During Hanukkah at Metropolitan Museum

ALPHA OMEGA ARTS

Hebrew Bible on display at Metropolitan Museum of Art

NEW YORK---The Metropolitan Museum of Art celebrates Hanukkah—the Jewish Festival of Lights, through the evening of December 5—with two medieval depictions of the Temple menorah are on view at . Additional works of Judaica will be on view during and after the holiday. The menorah, an elaborate ceremonial lamp with seven branches, was among the furnishings of the Temple in Jerusalem. Its form considered to be divinely ordained, the menorah has been a recognized symbol of Judaism from ancient times.

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RELIGIOUS ART | NEWS OF WEEK

ALPHA OMEGA ARTS 
By TAHLIB

Today, we mourn the loss of neighbors, friends, siblings, lovers, activists, and American religious artists like Keith Haring, David Wojnarowicz, and Adrian Kellard, all taken by AIDS. December 1st is the universal holyday known as World AIDS Day, and that's why "For the Record" (above) is my NEWS OF WEEK. This Day With(out) Art installation is on view through December 13 at Visual AIDS, an arts organization in NYC. Created by the gay women artists collective: fierce pussy, "For the Record" uses variations of the phrase “If he/she were alive today…,” and asks us to reflect, remember; and to consider what would you/they be doing today if...?

In other religious art news from across the USA, and around the world:

• Buddhist Art of Week: Paula Brett's "Candalas" leaving Florida for NYC. [More News]
• Christian Art of Week: Survey shows 'bullying' of Christian employees in Arts. [More News]
• Hindu Art of Week: "Mithila" painting exhibition ends at Wisconsin museum. [More News]
• Islamic Art of Week: Pew researches what it means to be Muslim worldwide. [More News]
• Judaic Art of Week: Collector gives Boston museum his Judaic Art collection. [More News]

We are all believers (and some skeptics too), united in the search for human meaning through art from the religious imagination. For us, it's more than Art. It's Religion. We follow artists who dare to explore religious ideas with their creative vision. When you are a believer, you join other believers. Some of us join as one of the "Judges" of the A&O Project who make the final decisions; others as "Collectors" when they donate to the A&O Prize Artist Fund; and most of us join as "Subscribers" to this "free" weekly newsletter; (or follow on: Tumblr, Twitter, Facebook, or Soundcloud). All are welcome.

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It's a Turkey. It's a Menorah. It's Thanksgivukkah!

DAILY MAIL

It's a turkey. It's a menorah. It's Thanksgivukkah! An extremely rare convergence this year of Thanksgiving and the start of Hanukkah has created a frenzy of Talmudic proportions. There's the number crunching: The last time it happened was 1888, or at least the last time since Thanksgiving was declared a federal holiday by President Lincoln, and the next time may have Jews lighting their candles from spaceships 79,043 years from now, by one calculation. [link]

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Tell Your Children to Standup

ALPHA OMEGA ARTS
By Greg Disney-Britton



For Chanukah, I celebrate God's gift of my bestfriend Laurie who stood up for her gay friends as children of God, and did so in the face of Christian bigotry. During Chanukah Jews remember how one tiny sanctified jar of oil was found in the Temple after it had been rampaged and desecrated. From this small amount of pure oil emerged a light that miraculously would not go out. Laurie is like that light, and this video shared by Rabbi Yitzchok Moully, the 2013 A&O Prize Clergy Advocate of Year tells another version of such hatred and desecration. Entitled, "Tell Your Children" it is the story of a Jewish child who escapes Nazi execution only to experience religious bigotry again as a senior. Still she stood up. Chanukah is about standing up, and celebrating lights in the darkness like Laurie.

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Sunday, November 24 is Sikh Holyday: "Guru Tegh Bahadur Martyrdom Day"

ALPHA OMEGA ARTS
By TAHLIB

In this depiction of the shaheedi (martyrdom) of Guru Tegh Bahadur Sahib Ji
notice the resemblance of Guru Ji to the above picture. In the foreground lie the bodies of
shaheed Sikhs and in the background the crowds cower behind a building. [link]

INDIA---Sunday, November 24, 2013 is the Sikh holyday of "Guru Tegh Bahadur Martyrdom Day" which marks the 332nd anniversary of the guru's sacrifice for religious freedom. During the reign of Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb, Islam was imposed on the people. Hindu temples were demolished and turned into mosques, higher taxes were charged to non-Muslims and the Emperor persecuted those who would not conform to Islamic law. Guru Tegh Bahadur (1621-75) spoke out amid this persecution. He refused to convert to Islam and in 1675, he was beheaded in Delhi.

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Celebrate Hanukkah on Your Smartphone with Free App From the Jewish Museum

YAREAH MAGAZINE

NEW YORK---The eight day holiday of Hanukkah begins at sundown on Wednesday, November 27th 2013.The Jewish Museum’s Hanukkah app, which debuted in 2012 and has now been expanded, is available for free in the App Store and on Google Play. The app is perfect for those without a menorah, travelers, students, or anyone seeking a flexible, fun way to mark the holiday. Light My Fire: A Hanukkah App allows users to select a contemporary or traditional Hanukkah lamp from the Museum’s renowned collection, choose a unique background to place it on, light the lamp, and then share it with their family and friends. [link]

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Many Sunnis and Shias Worry About Religious Conflict

PEW RESEARCH

This week Sunni and Shia Muslims ushered in the Islamic New Year and the beginning of the holy month of Muharram. For Shias, the month also is a time to mourn the events that sparked the centuries-old schism between Shia and Sunni Muslims. Pew Research Center polls conducted in 2011-2012 find high levels of concern about sectarian tensions in several countries where Sunnis and Shias live side by side. These concerns are particularly pronounced in Lebanon, where fully two-thirds of all Muslims, including about half of Shias and 80% of Sunnis, say sectarian tensions are a very big or moderately big problem. Roughly half of all Muslims in Iraq, more than four-in-ten in Afghanistan and nearly a quarter in Iran say the same. [link]

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Richard Rampersad's Rangoli Art for Divali

GUARDIAN

Richard Rampersad completes a peacock-inspired rangoli design
at the UWI Hindu Society’s annual Divali and Theatrical Production

INDIA---Rangoli is a traditional Indian art form consisting of folk and tribal elements. Rangoli signifies a relationship to ritual space, mapping the contours of ritual purity. Additionally, it is seen as an offering that has an inherently dynamic creative capacity. It is used during Hindu festivals and events. Rangoli is drawn to honour, celebrate and mark various occasions. Rangoli is the sacred welcoming area for Hindu deities. Wherever and whenever sacred spaces need to be created, cleared and cleaned for ritual purposes, rangoli is nearly always necessary as a visual sign. Examples of some events include Divali, Navaratri, weddings and pujas. However, rangoli is never used for funerals. [link]

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This Diwali, Light Up a Life

ALPHA OMEGA ARTS
By TAHLIB


INDIA---Produced with support of THE HINDU, a national newspaper of India, "Light Up a Life" is a celebration of the Hindu holydays "Diwali" (Nov. 1-5, 2013), but it's also an inspiring public service campaign. "Very touching, beautifully done social responsibility film about corneal blindness," said Anindo Ghosh. "Will bring tears to the eyes of even the most jaded viewers and inspire them to pledge their eyes." The concept and story for one such campaign was to generate support to fight corneal blindness in India, and was directed by Oindrila Ghosh, Founder, Lateral Images.

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Diwali, Hinduism's Festival of Light is Coming on Sunday, November 3

THE PENDULUM
By Jessica Petrocchi

An Indian craftsman paints clay 'diyas' (earthen lamps) ahead 
of the Hindu festival of Diwali in Amritsar on October 29, 2013.

NORTH CAROLINA---Diwali, one of the most celebrated Hindu holidays around the world, will get its recognition at Elon University for the second year in the Numen Lumen Pavilion Nov. 5. Interns in the Truitt Center for Religious Life and Assistant Chaplain Adam Miller-Stubbendick are putting this holiday celebration, sometimes referred to as the Festival of Lights, together. The event is open to Elon’s campus, no matter if they are a Hindu student or just want to learn more about a culture different from their own. The interns are still in the planning process, but they already have a good idea of what the celebration will look like. [link]

Indians buy lanterns from roadside stalls ahead of Hindu 
festival of lights Diwali, in Mumbai, India, Sunday, Oct. 27, 2013.

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Celebrating "Dia de los Muertos" (Day of the Dead) in America

STORYTELLER | EITELJORG MUSEUM
By Linda Montag-Olson

Catrinas, one of the most popular figures of the
Day of the Dead celebrations at Mexico. Image courtesy of Wikipedia

INDIANA---On Saturday, Oct. 26, join us for the annual Day of the Dead celebration at the Eiteljorg. In Mexican-Christian culture, skulls, skeletons and marigolds are important elements of ofrendas (altars) created to honor and celebrate the lives of family, friends and ancestors who have passed on. Fresh foods, candles, photographs and personal items are also placed on the public and private ofrendas, to welcome the spirits' return for a brief restful visit on Nov. 2. This is the essence of Dia de los Muertos, a traditional Mexican holiday, with roots in Aztec culture and Catholic traditions.

Eiteljorg Museum of American Indians and Western Art: "Dia de los Muertos" (Day of the Dead)"; Saturday, Oct. 26, 11-4pm; White River State Park, 500 W. Washington St., Indianapolis, IN; (317)636-WEST; eiteljorg.org

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Politics Threatens to Shake Up Tradition in Nazareth Where Jesus Grew Up

THE NEW YORK TIMES
By Isabel Kershner

Much of Nazareth’s economy depends on tourism generated by its Christian past.

ISRAEL---Ramiz Jaraisi has been the mayor of this bustling Arab city in northern Israel for nearly 20 years. For 20 years before that, he served as deputy mayor. The local party slate he heads, the Nazareth Democratic Front, a coalition of the Communist Party and other groups, has been running the city since 1975. There is a lot to be said for tradition and continuity in a city revered by Christians as the childhood home of Jesus. Though the city’s population of 80,000 is now about 70 percent Muslim, much of the economy of Nazareth, considered the capital of Israel’s Arab minority, depends on the tourism generated by its Christian past. [link]

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Hajj 2013: Muslim Pilgrimage to Mecca Ends

INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS TIMES
By Sanskrity Sinha

Muslim pilgrims pray at the Grand Mosque in the holy city of Mecca during Hajj 2013. (Photo: REUTERS)

SAUDIA ARABIA---Hajj 2013, the annual pilgrimage of the Muslims, ended with Eid al-Adha celebrations on 16 October as pilgrims prayed at the Grand Mosque in the holy city of Mecca in Saudi Arabia. An estimated two million Muslim pilgrims from around the world gathered in Mecca for the Hajj, which began on 14 October. Muslim pilgrims travel to the Mina Valley following in the footsteps of their prophet Muhammad after offering prayers at Kaaba - the black cuboid-shaped holy structure at the centre of the Grand Mosque. Muhammad is supposed to have visited Mecca from Medina in the seventh century AD and that eventually became the first Hajj, giving rise to this annual pilgrimage tradition of the Muslims. [link]

A Muslim pilgrim prays atop Mount Mercy on the plains of Arafat during the peak of the annual haj pilgrimage, near the holy city of Mecca. (Photo: REUTERS)

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Qatar Inspires Pilgrims for Hajj and for Damien Hirst

Condé Nast Traveler
By Susan Hack

COURTESY QATAR MUSEUMS AUTHORITY

Eyes are on the Middle East this week as the Hajj—the holy pilgrimage to Mecca undertaken by Muslims from all over the world—hits its peak. Interestingly, the religious event is coinciding with an art peak in the region as well, some of it insipired by the Hajj itself. This week, Qatar's Museum of Islamic Art launched an exhibition exploring the history and rituals behind the holy journey and nearby, you'll find the world's largest Damian Hirst retrospective and shows by international artists Mahmoud Obaidi and Francesco Vezzoli. [link]

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Muslims Celebrate "Eid-ul Adha" Today

GHANA WEB

GHANA---Muslims throughout the country will today join others worldwide to celebrate the annual Eid-ul Adha, the festival of sacrifice on the Islamic calendar. The annual celebration commemorates sacrifice and remembers the Prophet Abraham and his obedience and willingness to serve God. It also offers an opportunity for Muslims to pray for forgiveness from Allah and to strengthen their faith. They, in turn, forgive others. Eid-ul-Adha is celebrated on the 10th day of Dhu-l-hijah, the last month of the Islamic year, following the completion of the course of Haji, the holy pilgrimage to Mecca. [link]

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Shoshanah Brombacher is Showcased in "Colors of Chanukah"

BROADWAY WORLD

NEW YORK---The Lower East Side Jewish Conservancy will open "Colors of Chanukah: The Art of Shoshanah Brombacher" at the Fifth Jewish Heritage Festival on Sunday, November 3, 2013. The exhibit showcases the work of artist Shoshanah Brombacher, whose lively, colorful oil paintings explore Chasidic-Jewish themes and folklore. Brombacher will be on hand at the LESJC Kling & Niman Family Visitor Center to give a live presentation of her works at 1:30 PM. The exhibit is only one part of the day-long Fifth Jewish Heritage Festival. [link]

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Turning Nuclear Material Into Jewish Jewelry for Hanukkah

THE ALGEMEINER

A menorah necklace by From War into Peace, which uses recycled material from nukes for Jewish jewelry. Photo: From War into Peace.

CALIFORNIA---Using the words of the prophets as inspiration, a company called From War to Peace is turning swords into ploughshares—actually, recycled material from nukes into Jewish jewelry—in California. The line of peace-oriented products that includes flower power earrings, peace symbol pendants, tree of life bracelets, and household accessories is made from recycled copper cabling that once carried the launch codes to Minuteman III nuclear missiles. The copper, taken from a disarmed and deactivated Intercontinental Ballistic Missile (ICBM) site in Grand Forks, ND, is cast by the company into an array of wearable and usable symbols from many religions, including Star of David earrings,hamsa pendants, and mezuzahs. In time for Hanukkah, a new menorah pendant design will soon be available. [link]

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Discovery of an Unknown Painting by Titian Featured in "The Burlington Magazine"

BURLINGTON MAGAZINE

PUBLISHING---The Burlington Magazine is delighted to announce the publication, in its October issue, of "The Risen Christ", a previously unknown work by the great Venetian artist Titian. The painting (oil on canvas, 144 cm. high by 116.5 cm. wide) shows Christ in majesty, triumphing over death, standing on the tomb from which he has risen and silhouetted against a vivid, cloudy sky lit by the morning sun of the Easter day. Titian, who died at a great age, probably in his late eighties in 1576, was the outstanding Venetian painter of his time. [Subscribe]

BBC News - Titian identified as Risen Christ artist

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