Don’t Talk About Religion or Politics

By Gwyneth Leech

Someone famous once said, “Religion is the sigh of the oppressed creature, the heart of a heartless world, and the soul of soulless conditions.”

Those words certainly ring true in our own time, as countless individuals turn towards spiritualism for answers to life’s great mysteries - their faith sheltering them from a pitilessly indifferent world. Yet at the same time, societies everywhere are also being fractured by religious zealotry, bigotry and persecution - with religion itself seemingly a driving force behind war. The exhibition, ³Don’t Talk About Religion or Politics², attempts a meaningful exploration of these contradictions and their political ramifications.

³Don’t Talk About Religion or Politics² is also an age-old American axiom,
an adage the participating artists of this exhibit clearly intend to ignore
as they carefully examine the blurring between the sacred and profane. To
celebrate the importance of spirituality in our lives and collective
consciousness, the participating artists of this exhibition have come
together to offer genuine visions of piety and devotion. But they are also
unafraid to offer honest critiques of religion’s darker side. It is to this
duality of purpose that we dedicate the exhibition, ³Don’t Talk About
Religion or Politics².

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The Avenue 50 Studio invites the public to an art exhibit focusing on
questions of religion and politics featuring artists Sergio Hernandez,
Gwyneth Leech, Poli Marichal, John Paul Thornton, and Mark Vallen.
For more information on the exhibiting artists, visit these websites:

Sergio Hernandez - www.chicanarteyque.com
Gwyneth Leech - www.gwynethleech.com
Poli Marichal - www.lamanopress.com/poli.html
John Paul Thorton - www.johnpaulthornton.com
Mark Vallen - www.markvallen.com