Transformations: Spirituality, Ritual, and Society

Belief in something greater has always been part of human behavior, society, and culture. Historians of religion have noted that men and women started to worship gods as soon as they became recognizably human, prompted by the desire to find meaning and value in life. Almost at the same time, they started making art: through time, art, spirituality, and ritual have mirrored, influenced, and even shaped each other. Adding mythology and faith-infused popular traditions, art that reflects spirituality in its many forms is pervasive through most of recorded history. 

By putting in dialogue objects and images from different periods and regions, the exhibition explores how visual representations of these notions reflect and sometimes question their social and historical contexts, as well as how they have transformed over time.  ​

The exhibition is drawn from the collection of the Rollins Museum of Art. It features works dating from the 14th through the 21st centuries and includes historical art from Europe, America, and Asia, as well as global contemporary artists.

Credit: Exhibition overview from museum website