RELIGIOUS ART | Talk of the Nation

AOA WEEKLY PICK:

The Vatican's new permanent exhibit on Henri Matisse featuring works such as "Vierge à l'enfant debout" (above), is one of the religious art news stories featured this week. Alpha Omega Arts provides daily news updates Monday - Saturday, and (for first time) invites your comments online all-day on Sunday:

1. SURFING MADONNA: Is it religious art or illegal graffiti? The biggest religious art talk of the week was the appearance of the previously anonymous creator of California's "Surfing Madonna" mosaic. [Review history]


2. NEW JEWISH CHIC: Is Judaica art the new black in the art world? After decades of disdain by Jewish art museums, the religious art of the Jewish people has suddenly become quite chic among the mainstream art museums. [Read on]


3. EVIL ART AT AIRPORT: Is CNN's Anderson Cooper right to spoof a prominent Apocalypse preacher who says that the Denver International Airport is filled with "Evil Art"? Watch this video and draw your own conclusions. [Watch]

Below is the rest of this week's best in religious art news. News stories are grouped by the five largest faith traditions, with an additional category for other.

BUDDHIST ART:

• Exhibition Marks 1,000th Anniversary of the First Tripitaka (Korean Times)


• Pakistan sends Lord Buddha’s relics to Sri Lanka (AP Pakistan)


• Burma's Golden Buddha Discovered (Asia Sentinel)

HINDU ART:

• “Vishnu: Hinduism’s Blue-Skinned Savior” Coming to Brooklyn (The New Yorker)


• Kentuckians Re-Dedicate Renovated Hindu Temple (Louisville.com)


• Art Review: Art Review: Island Art, and All That Comes With It (Wall Street Journal)


• Is Yoga Religious? Let's Dialogue About It (The Christian Century)


• India's Sand Art: Temporary, Exquisite and Ethereal (Deccan Chronicle)


• NYC's Metropolitan Museum of Art to Feature Exhibit of Hindu Goddess (Washington Bangla Radio)


• India’s Most Famous Painter, Maqbol Fida Husain, Dies at 95 (The New York Times)


• Christians in Idaho Protest Sculpture of Hindu God (The Seattle Times)

ISLAMIC ART:

• Video: 10,000 Converge on Ayatollah Khomeini Shrine (Al Jazeera)


• Sotheby's Auction of Stuart Welch's Indo-Islamic Art Collection (The Economist)


• New Online Video Campaign Launched to Fight Muslim-American Bigotry (AOA News)


• Syrian Artist Muteea Murad Blends Color, Symmetry and Faith (Gulf News)

JEWISH ART:

• Dead Artists Dinner at San Francisco's Jewish Museum (SF Weekly)


• A Jewish Marriage Made at the Art Museum (Jewish Daily Forward)


• Kiddush Cups, Haggadahs Suddenly Museum Chic? (The Jewish Week)

CHRISTIAN ART:

• Egyptian Christians in Art: The No Way Out Campaign (Inspire Magazine)


• Campaigner Against Sistine Restoration is Subject of Film (Laguana Beach Independent)


• Ugandan Church to Redevelop Shrines (Daily Monitor)


• Controversial Artist's Depiction of Christ, Praised by Pastor (Reporter Herald)


• Connecticut's Catholic Museum Hosts "Crowned Madonna" (Catholic Transcript)


• Noah's Ark Theme Park Attraction in Ky. Raises $3 Million (Christian Post)


• Montreal : A Must Visit for Religious Art and Architecture (The Examiner)


• Sculptures by Brother Mel on View in Nashville (AOA News)


• Jesus Christ Superstar Fundraiser in Minneapolis (StarTribune)


• Taft Museum of Art Highlights Tiffany Windows From Local Church (Cincinnati Enquirer)


• Contemporary Art Exhibition at English Abbey (St. Albans Review)


• Former German Prison is now a Catholic Art Museum (Catholic Online)


• Egyptian Painter Transforms Orthodox Church as, "A Gift from God" (Canterbury Bankstown Express)


• Why Red for Pentecost Sunday? (AOA News)


• Collectors: New Mexico's Mary Emmerling's Crosses (AOA News)


• Vatican Eucharistic Miracles Exhibition in South Carolina (AOA News)


• Vatican to Open Permanent Henri Matisse Exhibition (The Record)


• Should Religious Art Require a Fig Leaf? (USA Today)


• Moving Surfing Madonna Will Take a Miracle, Says Expert (Huffington Post)


• Surfing Madonna Graffiti Gets California Beach Town Talking (Catholic News Agency)


• Surfing Madonna Artists Comes Forward to Help Move Mosaic (Union-Tribune)


• Common Sense Should Rule Decision on Moving Surfing Madonna (Union-Tribune)


• Vatican to Open Permanent Henri Matisse Exhibition (The Record)

OTHER ART:

• Venice Art Festival vs. The World (AFP)


• Video: Anderson Cooper Spoofs "Evil Art" at the Denver Airport (CNN)


• Imprisoning Religious Art in the Museum (Busted Halo)

It's been another fantastic week for learning about other cultures and faiths through their art. What was your favorite story of the week? Let's talk about it! Make a "comment online" below (Sunday only), or join the daily news dialogue at:

• "Facebook.com/AlphaOmegaArts" or


• "Twitter.com/AlphaOmegaArts"



Solid Gold Buddha Found in Burma



The "Evil Art" at the Denver International Airport

Creator of the "Surfing Madonna" reveals himself

Idaho group urges Christians to protest sculpture of Hindu god



Is Jewish religious art, the new black?