Art serving as a tool in the invention of tradition among the Israeli pagans by Hili Ratzon
Presented at the “5th Israeli Conference for the Study of Contemporary Religion and Spirituality, Tel Aviv University on May 2013.
This lecture will deal with the importance of art as a tool in the invention of traditions and in establishing new cultural patterns among the Israeli pagans. In addition, the lecture will focus on the differences between how monotheistic art researchers interpreted the artwork "Primavera" by Sandro Botticelli (painted in 1482) and how Israeli pagans are interpreting it. Roman gods’ representation in art has undergone many changes in the past two thousand years.
Many scholars have written about the Primavera and most of them agree on the identifications of the characters in the painting. The gods were painted in the artwork as lively and cheerful in contrary to the gods’ descriptions as royal and divine in artworks which characterized the art in ancient times. Monotheistic art historians recognized the characters art work monotheistic perspective identified the gods according to Vasari’s interpretation from the 15th century. Anexception in this context is the research of Michalski (2003), which questioned only the identification of the main character in the Primavera.
Western modern Paganism includes many different belief systems as Astaru, Kemetism Wicca, Neo- Druidism and more. Art is an important part in the development of culture and often is used as a representation of religious archetypes for the viewers. The Israeli pagans interpret the painting in a different way than monotheistic art historians. Religion is a social structure which belong to believers it and it helps them to shape their social identity (Olson, 2011).
The change in the interpretation of the artwork match Hobsbawn and Ranger's (1992) "invention of tradition". They claimed that the new tradition is created through symbols and rituals which are based on traditions from the past and reviving them again. A continuity of the past is an important because it provides the social institutions and individual's private life a sense of stability (Lewis and Hammer, 2007).
In this study, semi-structured interviews were conducted with five Israeli Pagans, who agreed to be interviewed anonymously. Their ages vary between 25 to 78. All interviewees have a different levels of academic education (BA, MA and in during their studies in the first and third degree).
According to this study's findings, the Israeli pagans have no consensus about the identifications the characters that exist in the artwork. Most of them said that art has an important part in their lives and that they are dealing with art as a hobby and also in professional way. It is apparent that most of them were not aware at all of how monotheistic art researchers interpreted the artwork and did not express any interest in it.
Conclusions of this study are that art fills an important role in invention of tradition among Israeli pagans. Representations of gods in art are important to most of them and they see the artworks as representing the ideas behind the gods and as such they can relate them to their faith religion
Many scholars have written about the Primavera and most of them agree on the identifications of the characters in the painting. The gods were painted in the artwork as lively and cheerful in contrary to the gods’ descriptions as royal and divine in artworks which characterized the art in ancient times. Monotheistic art historians recognized the characters art work monotheistic perspective identified the gods according to Vasari’s interpretation from the 15th century. Anexception in this context is the research of Michalski (2003), which questioned only the identification of the main character in the Primavera.
Western modern Paganism includes many different belief systems as Astaru, Kemetism Wicca, Neo- Druidism and more. Art is an important part in the development of culture and often is used as a representation of religious archetypes for the viewers. The Israeli pagans interpret the painting in a different way than monotheistic art historians. Religion is a social structure which belong to believers it and it helps them to shape their social identity (Olson, 2011).
The change in the interpretation of the artwork match Hobsbawn and Ranger's (1992) "invention of tradition". They claimed that the new tradition is created through symbols and rituals which are based on traditions from the past and reviving them again. A continuity of the past is an important because it provides the social institutions and individual's private life a sense of stability (Lewis and Hammer, 2007).
In this study, semi-structured interviews were conducted with five Israeli Pagans, who agreed to be interviewed anonymously. Their ages vary between 25 to 78. All interviewees have a different levels of academic education (BA, MA and in during their studies in the first and third degree).
According to this study's findings, the Israeli pagans have no consensus about the identifications the characters that exist in the artwork. Most of them said that art has an important part in their lives and that they are dealing with art as a hobby and also in professional way. It is apparent that most of them were not aware at all of how monotheistic art researchers interpreted the artwork and did not express any interest in it.
Conclusions of this study are that art fills an important role in invention of tradition among Israeli pagans. Representations of gods in art are important to most of them and they see the artworks as representing the ideas behind the gods and as such they can relate them to their faith religion
