RELIGIOUS ART | TALK OF WEEK

AOA WEEKLY PICK: 

"Crowing with Thorns" by Yu Minjun is among the most talked about religious art stories of the week. You can "comment online" today about it (Sunday only). People are also talking about:

1. Do Latino's find the "Surfing Madonna" to be sacrilegious? (Comment today)
2. Did Hindu's persecute India's most famous painter Maqbool Fida Husain? (Comment today)
3. Should museum's host religious-type services inside their galleries? (Comment today)

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

BUDDHIST ART:

• Glimpse of Gandhara Buddhist Heritage (Asia Tribune)
• Finding Peace and Serenity at the Museum (San Antonio Express-News)
• Dali Lama Inspired Art Show Ending July 31 at San Antonio Museum of Art (AOA News) 
• Lecture on Ritual in Himalyan Art at Nevada Museum of Art (AOA News)

HINDU ART:

• A Framed Painter: Maqbool Fida Husain (Newsweek)
• M.F.Husain: A Portrait of India's Intolerance (Wall Street Journal)
• Hindu Sculptor Gives Art an Environmental Flavor (The Hindu) 

ISLAMIC ART:

• Egypt Denies Theft of 4,200 Treasures from Islamic Art Museum (Adnkronos International)
• Azerbaijan Admits Censorship at Venice Art Biennale (The Independent)
• Ex-Stone Roses, John Squire Uses Islamic Design to Show Contempt for Celebrities (Manchester Evening News)
• Local Artisans Recreate Islamic Lamps for Metropolitan Museum of Art (New York Daily News)

JEWISH ART:

• A 300-Year-Old Synagogue Comes Back to Life in Poland (The New York Times)

CHRISTIAN ART:

• Auction prices soar for religious plaques of Ohio folk artist, Elijah Pierce (News Antique)
• "Red Hot Cain and Abel" in Kansas City Show (Kansas City Star)
• Wild Goose Festival: God is Fire (Red Letter Christians)
• Beijing Gallery Presents an Exhibition of Yue Minjun's Recent Works (ArtDaily)
• Canadian Student Paints Modern Version of Mary and Jesus (Northumberland News)
• Stolen Relic from California Church Sanctuary (Yahoo Buzz Log)
• English Religious Art Threatened by Heating & Insects, Say Experts (AFP)
• Feast of St Anthony's Celebrated with Fervour in India (Daji World)
• Latino's Split over Surfing Madonna (North County Times)
• Surfing Madonna Missing a Piece (NBC San Diego)
• Michigan Company Launches Vatican Memorial Prayer Cards (AOA News)
• New Mexico Collector, Margaret Leos Sends Painting to Religious Order in Indiana (Current Argus)
• Vatican on Fresh Charm Offensive with Artists (AFP)

OTHER ART:

• Sculptor Gary Spinosa's 'Archaic Rivival' on display at Erie Art Museum (Erie Times-News)
• Jerusalem Festival Of Lights 2011: Stunning Art Display (Huffington Post)
• Filipino Mayor See's Art as Bridge Between Christian and Muslims (Manila Bulletin)

Do you want to get a daily dose of religious art news? Join me on "Facebook.com" and/or "Twitter.com". Tumblr is coming soon too! The "Sabbath Art News" is a weekly project of Alpha & Omega Project for Contemporary Religious Arts, "connecting artists, faiths and communities" through art.

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