This past weekend, the Museum of Contemporary Religious Art unveiled its newest exhibit, Michael Byron’s “Cosmic Tears”.
The works in the exhibit focus on the artist’s idea of the act of creation as a blend of emotions resulting in a cosmic tear that is the womb of our psyche. As such, the exhibit is one of the most abstract MOCRA has shown in quite some time.
Byron, a professor at Washington University in St. Louis, whose art has been shown worldwide, does not consider his work to be overtly religious; he prefers the term ‘spiritual.’ According to MOCRA director Father Terrence Dempsey, this is precisely the reason why Byron has wanted to show his work at MOCRA for years.
“The first time he came to MOCRA, the artist felt that this space already has a real spiritual presence and sense of the sacred that real galleries lack,” Dempsey said.
This distinction between MOCRA and other galleries is what has provided the museum with the privilege of being the first gallery to show Byron’s works as a series, rather than individually.
Despite the absence of obvious religiosity in the works, Byron’s paintings present a juxtaposition of “both microcosmic and macrocosmic perspectives” in an attempt create a connection between the creative process of an artist and the creation done by what Byron refers to as the greater “Guiding Principal.” The paintings are not meant for over-interpretation or analysis, but instead are intended for meditation. Consequently, MOCRA has been outfitted with chairs in front of the works for just this purpose.
MOCRA’s side chapels are displaying complementary works to the theme of Cosmic Tears.
“We went through our own collection for works that would have the same sense of quiet . that all relate to sacred space in a very quiet way,” Dempsey said.
The main exhibit, coupled with these side pieces, results in a showing that achieves its desired effect of stirring contemplation, rather than overtly revealing the meaning behind the works.
“Cosmic Tears” will be on display at MOCRA through Dec. 13.
The artist himself is speaking about the exhibit on Nov. 15.
