Essay on Art and Religion - 984 Words

Art and Religion Art is many times involved with religious practices and ceremonies. Much art which is related to a type of religion uses symbolic images which pertain to the belief. A great deal of this art is used primarily as decoration. It is also used to exalt that which is being praised, and it is attempted to move the viewer or believer in some way. Art can be used to tell a story of history or simply to imply the power of what is being praised. There seem to be few religious practices which actually incorporate the art itself with the ceremony or ritual that is taking place. However, this does not mean that there exist no forms of practice which do incorporate art into the ritual. One way in which art is used as an integral part†¦show more content†¦In tantric Buddhism, ritual action is an important means of meditation. Many rituals, in their own abstraction, involve the gratification of the senses. In this sect, religious art as well as music are significant in aiding enlightenment. The mandala is an example of art which is used in conjunction with these rituals. The mandala is a cosmogram. Within this cosmogram, there are two separate entities to be found. These come from the different interpretation style one may put into it. If the mandala is observed as a map of the microcosm, of man himself, the deities involved in the images are perceived symbolically. One example of symbolism in this case is personifying emotions. If the interpretation made is macrocosmically, then the deities are conceived in a mythological way. Through the practice of meditation these deities are visualized and identified. In order to achieve the ultimate goal of escaping the round of birth and death, these illusions of the monks mind must be passed and the unreality of the whole must be realized. Through this way, enlightenment can be reached. Not all mandalas are the same but they all focus on these aspects of the universe. The universe displayed on the mandala, from the sect of the Lamas, is composed of thirty-eight portions. During this ritual, rice is placed in representations of these components, and a pile of rice is set at the middle to represent the axis of the systems of the world.Show MoreRelatedThe Middle Ages: Art and Religion578 Words   |  2 PagesThe Middle Ages: Art and Religion Religion and art have gone hand in hand for thousands of years. Almost every religious organization makes use of it. It idealizes, glorifies, protests, and tells the messages of religion. During some time periods of out history are existed for the sake of faiths. Artists of our time are generally free to create and make statements on anything they want. 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