Gerhard Richter recently unveiled his new spectacular abstract stained glass windows in the Cologne Cathedral. Richter explained the concept behind his creation:
72 shades of color, each appearing 72 time per level, “out of which the computer uses a random number generator to determine the color arrangement for one half of the cathedral window; the other half is a reflection of the first."
A complete view of the windows can be found here. The windows have been described as a "Symphony of Light" and have been praised lavishly by critics around the world.
The only dissonant note came from Cologne's Cardinal Meisner, who was so angered by the windows that he said "they belonged in a mosque". Evidently consigning something to a mosque is a terrible insult. But the good cardinal was just getting started. A couple of days later Meisner gave a sermon at the opening of a museum where he uttered these words - perhaps with Richter and his windows in mind:
Vergessen wir nicht, dass es einen unaufgebbaren Zusammenhang zwischen Kultur und Kult gibt. Dort, wo die Kultur vom Kultus, von der Gottesverehrung abgekoppelt wird, erstarrt der Kult im Ritualismus und die Kultur entartet. Sie verliert ihre Mitte. ("When culture becomes disconnected from religion, from the worship of God, religion becomes ritualism and the culture becomes degenerate." )
The word "entartet" (degenerate) carries a specific historical meaning in German, for that is how the Nazi's described modern art - especially German expressionism. The 1937 Nazi art exhibit - Entartete Kunst (Degenerate Art) was a sensation, and meant that most of the great German painters could no longer work in Germany (This was a great bonanza for America, for we ended up with many of the paintings and artists ). Meisner may not have been intentionally referring to Nazi art-appreciation, but he is prone to using inflammatory language, and this comes just a week after Eva Herman's disgraceful performance. Also, one has to question Meisner's appreciation for any art since at least 1800, when artists no longer saw their primary role as "worshipping God". It is perhaps not a coincidence that 1800 is also approximately the point in history when official Roman Catholic theology stopped developing. I like what one of Meisner's strongest critics - theologian Hans Küng had to say about the affair:
"All true art is about the meaning of life, but you can't ban artists from portraying chaos, ugliness and evil," said Kueng, who lives in Tuebingen, Germany.
What if the window had been done by Lüpertz ;)
Posted by: antonymous | September 17, 2007 at 08:20 PM