Right now at the Petit Palais, a classic art museum located right off of the Champs-Elysées, an exhibition is being presented that is sure to generate a lot of discussion. The exhibit is called “God(s), a User’s Guide,” and it explores the place that religion has had in our society throughout the ages.
The exhibit will run until February 3, 2013, so guests staying at the Hôtel Louvre Marsollier have plenty of time to discover this unique collection of works. 160 works showcasing the spiritual tradition of the human race have been borrowed from renowned museums such as the Louvre, the Musée du Quai Branly, the Israel Museum, the British Museum and the Victoria and Albert Museum.
The works included in this exhibition come from various mediums, with both paint and sculpture used to express religious ideas. Moreover, religious artifacts have also been included in the collection, offering a historical perspective of religion and art. Interactive booths, photographs and videos complement these pieces, providing background information and relevant explanations.
By exploring the artistic history of religions that are still practiced today across the globe, the Petit Palais hopes to reveal the human vision of divinity in the context of various systems of belief. This exhibition also sheds light on how these beliefs are communicated and shared with those within the religious community as well as outsiders. It is this last point that has become so pertinent today, as clashes between different religions seem to be at the root of several major global and regional conflicts.
As a result, “God(s), a User’s Guide” is enjoyable from an artistic, historical, cultural and political perspective, as religion seems to be at the intersection of all of these aspects of life. No matter what religious beliefs visitors may hold — or may not hold — this exhibition will provide all of them with something to reflect on.
