Religiosity in Modern and Contemporary Art Reinterpretation of Sacred Motifs in a Global Context

Abstract

This study explores the evolving role of religiosity in modern and contemporary art, focusing on the reinterpretation of sacred motifs within a global context. While traditional religious art functioned primarily as a medium of devotion and ritual, modern and contemporary practices detach these motifs from fixed theological frameworks, reimagining them as vehicles for spiritual inquiry, cultural critique, and artistic experimentation. From the abstract spiritualism of early modernists like Kandinsky and Rothko to contemporary multimedia works that recontextualize mandalas, crosses, or tribal symbols, artists continually negotiate the boundaries between sacred and secular, tradition and innovation. Globalization has further expanded this dialogue, enabling hybrid and cross-cultural expressions where sacred motifs address themes of identity, politics, migration, ecology, and consumerism. By tracing these transformations, the research highlights how sacred symbols endure as dynamic, contested, and re-sacralized elements in art, reflecting the persistence of spiritual consciousness in an increasingly pluralistic world.