I recently came across an old CNN interview with Billy Corgan of The Smashing Pumpkins. In the interview, Corgan talks about how God is an unexplored area of rock because most people believe in some form of God, but most bands never mention God. 
CNN asks, “What would you say to Christian rockers, then?” Corgan thinks for a second and says, “Make better music…I think Jesus would like better bands, you know? Stop copying U2.”
Corgan, in his very Corganesque observation, is correct. He is right about a lot of contemporary Christian art, be it music, visual, or prose. I’m not trying to question the sincerity of any Christian artist, but I think it is fair to point out that, earnestness of the message aside, the art element of contemporary Christian art is often derivative or lacking. And I think the theological term for that is “bummer.”
In Rembrandt Is in the Wind, Russ Ramsey explores these issues and more. In a series of related essays, he examines the work and lives of several artists. He invites the reader to celebrate beauty and creation, and he explores themes like belonging, sacrifice, community, humility, and meaning.
My favorite chapters were about Caravaggio and Lillias Trotter: Caravaggio was violent and impetuous, and also seemed to have a visceral understanding of the Gospel and God’s love for people outcast by society. He used people on the fringes of his society as subjects in his pieces about higher truth. (Personally, that encourages me to remember that even if I don’t always like myself or measure up to worldly standards, God still likes me and counts me as a friend.)
Despite encouragement from her teacher, Trotter was a talented artist who chose to sacrifice her study of the arts to better serve others. Her determination to follow her calling and conscience was inspiring.
I also appreciated Ramsey’s call, at the end, to add our creations to the world. Beauty is no trivial thing, after all.
NOTE: I listened to the audiobook. While an audiobook on visual arts may seem strange, it does come with a 44-page PDF with a lot of the mentioned art and some diagrams and summaries. It’s not a bad format!