How can we judge a work of art that was inspired by a person’s faith?

How can we judge a work of art that was inspired by a person’s faith?

The Art Newspaper | Helen Stoilas

“What would a Catholic take away from [the Metropolitan Museum’s Heavenly Bodies show]? A Catholic would see how the Catholic imagination has influenced the imagination of artists, in this case fashion designers. So, as you would respect the various ways that a painter or a sculptor translates his affinity to the Church or to religious imagery or symbols or iconography, you would want to give fashion designers the same respect, because they’re artists.

If someone shows you a painting or a sculpture or a dress that he or she has made and says, ‘This is something I’ve been working a long time on, and it comes out of my love for the church or the way that my Catholic upbringing has affected me,’ you’re not going to say, ‘I reject this.’ It’s highly subjective. It’s also highly creative, and so we need to give the artist the benefit of the doubt. Moreover, many of these creations are simply beautiful. I didn’t find them offensive at all…read more

Image: A Balenciaga wedding gown inspired by a nun’s habit in the Met Cloisters