Anneke Majors does a good job of describing a characteristic of modern LDS painting, and giving a fair, and accurate criticism of it.
From what I've seen in other modern, religiously themed art, it's not exclusive to Mormonism.
I'm disturbed by the idea that depictions of Jesus and the world he lived in must be kept fastidiously neat and clean. This...bent permeates not just Mormon artwork, but film, plays, and literature.
It is both unauthentic and dishonest. It is 'tidying up Huck,' as my AP English teacher said of modern films depicting Huckleberry Finn as a non-cussing, fairly clean, neatly combed boy.
Anyway-- it's an interesting article for the religious (not just the Mo's.)
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I don't think you can do anything about it until you ask why? A related Mormon Art blog looks at that question.
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Jettboy hits on some excellent points, too. It all comes down to the marketing side of it, really. There are great Mormon artists. Most of us have never heard of them. But that's because our culture is saturated with commercial artists, which isn't exclusive to Mormonism either. It's a centuries old struggle - academism vs. populism - but it's still plaguing us.
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There have been some really great pieces of artwork featured in the Ensign; I'm thinking particularly of a series of pieces done in monochromes, with highly symbolic content. If I recall correctly, the series followed a group of people walking along a path analogous to the one in Lehi's dream.
I wish I could remember the title of one of those pieces, or the artist's name...
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Scott, I think there are some really good artwork that has been presented in the Ensign. However, the majority are still of the same kind. Those that have been featured that are different have not caught on to the popular imagination or interst. That is a shame, but don't know if there is anything to be done about it.
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One the best (at least most affecting to me) museum exhibits I have ever been was in the church history museum. There was an exhibit of artwork from members around the world. The theme was the Book of Mormon, and the museum was filled with pieces in a diversity of mediums and styles and topics. I would LOVE to be able to buy prints of some of the artwork that I saw there.
I also agree that some really great stuff gets into the Ensign. Not all Mormon art is of the same kind, but it seems like the commercial art all is.
My niece is turning eight this June and I was thinking about sending her a birthday package. I want to include some religious-themed art for her walls, but I just don't like the normal pictures. Annie, any suggestions? She's eight, brilliant, beautiful, and very proper and ladylike. She likes pink and yellow, wears glasses, and is a voracious reader. Suggestions from anyone are welcome.
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Kath, did you read the last bit of the article I posted to? He seems to think that artwork from around the world is the answer to the Arcadia problem.
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I agree with that conclusion too, Occasional. In fact, one of the Motley Vision posts I'm working on is exclusively about the internationality of Church art - to me, that's the answer. As Kat pointed out, the Church Museum of History and Art has been going that way for years, and the church's (not annual... what is it? every two or three years?) International Art Competition has really helped.
To me, the answer to the Arcadia problem comes when the art market realizes, like the church has realized, that Mormon does not equal Utah or even America. We capture what is essential in Latter-day Saint art when we take a cross-section of all cultures.
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