So many of you have been interested in the posts we’ve done regarding art and Christian faith that I’d like to introduce you to a contemporary Christian Artist named Makoto Fujimura. 

His new book: River Grace, is described as follows;

River Grace is an intimate, autobiographical look at Makoto Fujimura’s early years as an artist in Japan. In a refreshingly transparent account, Mako recalls  discovering Nihonga, the ancient style of painting that would become his  trademark, and being awakened to a longing for “higher transcendence through  the extravagant materials” Nihonga employs. Yet it was not until reluctantly accompanying his new bride to church that he found the Object and Source of his longing, and this faith has become the cornerstone of his art, marriage  and, indeed, entire life. 

Check out this 2 minute video but come back and read the rest of the post.

What they mean by “extravagant” material is that the artist works with precious metals, handmade paper and pigments made by hand grinding minerals with stone. Not only are the materials “extravagant” but the whole process causes the artist to be connected to the work and its story.

Here’s an interesting excerpt from an interview with art critic James Romaine

JR: I’ve heard you describe the creative process in relation to Mary Magdalene, who anointed the feet of Christ. While there is some uncertainty about who this Mary was, images of “the Repentant Magdalene” abound in Western art. But it seems to me that she is most often held up as a model for the viewer. You are the only person I’ve known to turn Mary around as a model for the artist. How has she been an inspiration for you?

MF: I am referring to the account in John 12 where Mary comes to the place where Jesus was staying and poured out her perfume. Here, she is the sister of Martha and Lazarus, whom Christ raised from the dead. In this state of complete and utter amazement, her heart was full of thankfulness. She was overwhelmed with emotion and she didn’t know what to do. Then she realized that the only thing that she had valuable enough with which to somehow respond to this amazing miracle was this perfume, which was worth about a year’s wages. She anointed Jesus with a perfume aroma that He went to the Cross with. That was the only thing He wore on His body on the Cross. She seems to me to be the quintessential artist because she responded with this intuition rather than calculation.

JR: If Mary was the quintessential artist, than Judas was the quintessential art critic. [laughter] His response to that scene was outrage and to condemn it as wasteful. I don’t want to go too far with this comparison but there are many people, both Christian and non-Christian, who view the visual arts as something “extra” at best or a total waste at worst, but not essential in any way. Is there a model in the story of Mary about the value of art?

MF: Certainly. What Jesus said to her, and those around Him as well including Judas, was “she has done a beautiful thing and wherever the Gospel is preached what she has done will be remembered.” That is an amazing commendation for someone like me who tends to work from the heart, who tends to work with precious and costly materials. I remember that the extravagance of Christ’s love for me prompted an extravagant response. Eventually, I came to connect what I do as an artist with Mary’s devotional act. Maybe that is the one act we can look to as the centerpiece for a paradigm of creativity.

Here are a couple of links.

His book: River Grace

His Website: makatofujimura.com

Image is a journal of art, faith, and cultural renewal. Its purpose is to speak to the church and culture with a commitment to both artistic excellence and religious truth. Image recently produced a short video that explains what Image is about and why it matters.

It is called Spanning the Gap: The Image Video
Art, Faith, & Cultural Transformation.

Check it out here