tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27612445.post2576470345847660316..comments2024-03-23T12:05:23.537-05:00Comments on The Wild Reed: Michelangelo: Gifted Artist, Lover of Male Beauty, and Secret Reformer of the ChurchMichael J. Baylyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03087458490602152648noreply@blogger.comBlogger4125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27612445.post-39851955289608079002009-05-23T00:02:37.611-05:002009-05-23T00:02:37.611-05:00I studied in Rome for a semester, and as I was an ...I studied in Rome for a semester, and as I was an art student, it was very meaningful. But I hesitate to apply any kind of sexuality to any work. I know from my own personal work that even a piece created out of (or for the expression of) a deep affection for someone is not necessarily sexual. (I'm a queer and have been "out" since I was 15). Sometimes I wonder if people are so eager to apply sexual meaning to that which is so much more complex simply because it is the verboden thing to do. (a crucifix with Jesus dressed in leather garb? gasp!! how daring!! etc.) People are quick to point out how "sexual" Bernini's "St. Teresa in Ecstacy" is. But I don't think you can put such simple labels on feelings created by art, or on the attempt of the artist to express those feelings. What if the elation St. Teresa experienced in her spiritual visions and the elation some feel during sexual acts is actually the same kind of universal feeling that doesn't belong to any one thing? That the feeling that people strive to achieve through different ways, often with opposite paths from one another, can't be owned by any one person or thing or theory. <br /><br />It's comforting for many to say, "see? ah HA!! he was really making a GAY masterpiece, not just a religious one!" but I think in doing so, many will miss what I believe is the point of the fine arts as a whole - to express what is un-expressable through simple words and explanation. And in the end, whether we artists like it or not, releasing a piece of art to the world gives the whole world license to feel whatever it wants to feel when viewing it. Long after I'm dead, a portrait I've drawn of a girl might be interpreted as a slight against her character or a deeply loving honest portrayal - and I won't be around to "correct" anyone.Emily Khttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11743206821660861766noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27612445.post-66759239158139466692009-05-13T19:10:00.000-05:002009-05-13T19:10:00.000-05:00Interesting post. I had something about Florence ...Interesting post. I had something about Florence a while ago too. The David is beautiful but I also like the Greek statues of the classical period.crystalhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05681674503952991492noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27612445.post-58871512933925349332009-05-13T17:43:00.000-05:002009-05-13T17:43:00.000-05:00Hi Liam,
Thanks for your comment.
I too will be ...Hi Liam,<br /><br />Thanks for your comment.<br /><br />I too will be interested in seeing how this topic is addressed - though I'll probably have to catch the program on Channel 17 at some later date, as I have a <A HREF="http://theprogressivecatholicvoice.blogspot.com/2009/04/something-exciting-and-joyous.html" REL="nofollow">Catholic Coalition for Church Reform</A> meeting tonight at 7:00, which is perhaps kind of appropriate/ironic.<br /><br />Peace,<br /><br />MichaelMichael J. Baylyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03087458490602152648noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27612445.post-39307447113789033742009-05-13T17:16:00.000-05:002009-05-13T17:16:00.000-05:00It will be interesting to see how Michelangelo get...It will be interesting to see how Michelangelo gets depicted as a crypto-Protestant, since his style of art was repugnant to Protestants of his day. Michelangelo's sacred nudes were the object of reformers in the Council of Trent - so if anything, Michelangelo's style was, artistically, *not* on the reforming side of things. This is no secret, but well known.<br /><br />Perhaps the author is making the exceedingly false assumption that, in the 16th century, reform=Protestant. Actually, most of the reforming folks stayed within the Church. Pope Paul IV - who had been a reformer earlier in his career - was so paranoid about reform getting out of hand in the Council of Trent that he underminded reformers. (Recall that this was the pope who had Michelangelo's nudes dressed up to conform to the Council, ostensibly, just showing that reforming zeal within the Church had conflicting flavors).<br /><br />Of course, PBS loves to write program descriptions designed to entice folks who imagine fictions like the Da Vinci Code, commentary by people like Professor Pagels and articles by a debased National Geographic on the Gospel of Judas (which was later the subject of something of a professional scandal) represent cutting-edge discoveries.<br /><br />Caveat lector.Liamnoreply@blogger.com