Art, spirit, language

In this personal inquiry on the intertwining impulses of the religious and artistic spirits, Kate Hennessy, a writer and artist, reflects on the power of visual art and artmaking to help us move beyond the limitations of religious language. She explores how art can provide a visual dialogue imbued with spirit and transcendence that help us to understand what it is to be human in a relationship with God. Hennessy draws upon diverse influences, from the Paleolithic artists to Brice Marden, Anne Truitt and Mark Rothko, to provoke thought on perceiving art and artmaking, whether overtly religious or not, as a form of prayer, a practice of devotion and an ongoing expression of this human desire to live in full participation with life and with God.