Signs of Religious Faith: Photographs from the Collection | Spencer Museum of Art

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Exhibition

Signs of Religious Faith: Photographs from the Collection

Signs of Religious Faith: Photographs from the Collection

Elissa Anderson, curator

North Balcony, Spencer Museum of Art, University of Kansas, Lawrence, Kansas

Drawn from the Spencer Museum of Art's collection, this installation consists of photographs made since the nineteenth century depicting Chrisitan spaces and devotional practices in Europe and North America. These photographs show how individuals and communities interact with religion. They might be understood as ethnographic reportage and comments on the changing manifestations of religion in modern society.

Exhibition images

Works of art

Berenice Abbott (1898–1991), Harlem Street: II, 422-424 Lenox Avenue, Manhattan — Harlem Street: II, 422-424 Lenox Avenue, Manhattan

Berenice Abbott

1938

James Alinder (born 1941), Christmas at Hinky Dinky, Lincoln, Nebraska — Christmas at Hinky Dinky, Lincoln, Nebraska

James Alinder

1971

Manuel Alvarez Bravo (1902–2002), Day of All Dead — Day of All Dead

Manuel Alvarez Bravo

1933

Manuel Alvarez Bravo (1902–2002), The Visit — The Visit

Manuel Alvarez Bravo

circa 1979

Diane Arbus (1923–1971); Neil Selkirk (born 1947), Mr. and Mrs. Santa Claus — Mr. and Mrs. Santa Claus

Diane Arbus, Neil Selkirk

1964

Dick Arentz (born 1935), Wells Cathedral, Stairs to Chapter House II — Wells Cathedral, Stairs to Chapter House II

Dick Arentz

1990

Édouard Boubat (1923–1999), Fête des Morts, Mexico (Day of the Dead, Mexico) — Fête des Morts, Mexico (Day of the Dead, Mexico)

Édouard Boubat

1980

Nicolette Bromberg (born 1950), St. Bartholomew's Church — St. Bartholomew's Church

Nicolette Bromberg

1985

Geri della Rocca de Candal (born 1942), St. Peter's Square - Rome — St. Peter's Square - Rome

Geri della Rocca de Candal

1975

Paula Chamlee (born 1944), Creitz Farm, Adrian, Texas — Creitz Farm, Adrian, Texas

Paula Chamlee

1994

William Christenberry (1936–2016), Church, Sprott, Alabama — Church, Sprott, Alabama

William Christenberry

1971

Louis De Clercq (1836–1901), Seville, Clocher de la Cathedrale (La Giralda), #7 [Seville, Bell Tower of the Cathedral (La Giralda), #7] — Seville, Clocher de la Cathedrale (La Giralda), #7 [Seville, Bell Tower of the Cathedral (La Giralda), #7]

Louis De Clercq

1860

Jack Delano (1914–1997), Sign on highway between Sykesville, Pennsylvania and Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania — Sign on highway between Sykesville, Pennsylvania and Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania

Jack Delano

1940

Patricia DuBose Duncan (1932–2021), Prairie Wedding — Prairie Wedding

Patricia DuBose Duncan

1975

Elliott Erwitt (1928–2023), Confessional, Czestochowa, Poland — Confessional, Czestochowa, Poland

Elliott Erwitt

1964

Frederick Henry Evans (1853–1943), North Porch, Wells Cathedral — North Porch, Wells Cathedral

Frederick Henry Evans

late 1800s–early 1900s

Frederick Henry Evans (1853–1943), York Minster: In Sure and Certain Hope — York Minster: In Sure and Certain Hope

Frederick Henry Evans

circa 1903

Walker Evans (1903–1975), Roadside Church in Tennessee — Roadside Church in Tennessee

Walker Evans

1937

Walker Evans (1903–1975), Negro Church, South Carolina — Negro Church, South Carolina

Walker Evans

1936

Lee Friedlander (born 1934), Topless Wedding in Los Angeles; reception followed — Topless Wedding in Los Angeles; reception followed

Lee Friedlander

1967

Earl Iversen (born 1943), Prophet Royal Robertson's Signs. Baldwin, Louisiana. — Prophet Royal Robertson's Signs. Baldwin, Louisiana.

Earl Iversen

1994

Earl Iversen (born 1943), Rudolph Grotto. Rudolph, Wisconsin. — Rudolph Grotto. Rudolph, Wisconsin.

Earl Iversen

1994

Clarence Kennedy (1892–1972), Hand of the Madonna, Feet of the Child — Hand of the Madonna, Feet of the Child

Clarence Kennedy

1933

Noël Marie Paymal Lerebours (1807–1873), Portal de Notre Dame de Reims — Portal de Notre Dame de Reims

Noël Marie Paymal Lerebours

circa 1843

Alen MacWeeney (born 1939), The Head of Blessed Oliver Plunkett, Ireland — The Head of Blessed Oliver Plunkett, Ireland

Alen MacWeeney

1965

Gustave Marissiaux (1872–1929), La Chapelle — La Chapelle

Gustave Marissiaux

1907

Wright Morris (1910–1998), Church Near Milford, Nebraska — Church Near Milford, Nebraska

Wright Morris

1947

Patrick A. Nagatani (1945–2017), Miraculous Photo — Miraculous Photo

Patrick A. Nagatani

1994

Rubén Ortiz Torres (born 1964), Apparition in the Hood — Apparition in the Hood

Rubén Ortiz Torres

1992

Bill Owens (born 1938), untitled (Ronald Reagan on TV) — untitled (Ronald Reagan on TV)

Bill Owens

circa 1973

Marion Palfi (1907–1978), San Miguel, a church near Mexican border, 1967-69, Papago; services at San Miguel — San Miguel, a church near Mexican border, 1967-69, Papago; services at San Miguel

Marion Palfi

1967–1969

Luis González Palma (born 1957), Corazon I (Winged man with heart) (Heart I) — Corazon I (Winged man with heart) (Heart I)

Luis González Palma

1989

Gordon Parks (1912–2006), Wedding, France — Wedding, France

Gordon Parks

1951

Paolo Salviati (1818–1894), Chiesa San Marco dalla Locchetta (Church of San Marco from the Locchetta) — Chiesa San Marco dalla Locchetta (Church of San Marco from the Locchetta)

Paolo Salviati

circa 1870s

Neil Selkirk (born 1947), Reverend Ike — Reverend Ike

Neil Selkirk

1973

Andres Serrano (born 1950), Madonna and Child II — Madonna and Child II

Andres Serrano

1989

Ben Shahn (1898–1969), Strawberry Picker's Child — Strawberry Picker's Child

Ben Shahn

1935

Ben Shahn (1898–1969), Leaving church, Linworth, Ohio — Leaving church, Linworth, Ohio

Ben Shahn

1938

Art Sinsabaugh (1924–1983), Graveyard — Graveyard

Art Sinsabaugh

circa 1964

Aaron Siskind (1903–1991), Harlem Document 20 — Harlem Document 20

Aaron Siskind

1981

Aaron Siskind (1903–1991), Harlem Document 30 — Harlem Document 30

Aaron Siskind

circa 1935

W. Eugene Smith (1918–1978), untitled — untitled

W. Eugene Smith

1955–1956

John Stanton (1799–1888), untitled (Collegiate Church of St Mary, Warwick) — untitled (Collegiate Church of St Mary, Warwick)

John Stanton

1860

Paul Strand (1890–1976); Richard Benson (born 1943), Fox River, Gaspé — Fox River, Gaspé

Paul Strand, Richard Benson

1936

Paul Strand (1890–1976), Cristo with Thorns, Huexotla — Cristo with Thorns, Huexotla

Paul Strand

1940

Paul Strand (1890–1976), Cristo, Thacochoaya, Oaxaca — Cristo, Thacochoaya, Oaxaca

Paul Strand

1940

George Andrew Tice (1938–2025), Old Amish Men — Old Amish Men

George Andrew Tice

1960s

George Andrew Tice (1938–2025), Christmas Eve — Christmas Eve

George Andrew Tice

1968

George Andrew Tice (1938–2025), Cain House and Methodist Church — Cain House and Methodist Church

George Andrew Tice

1971

David Wing (born 1947), Near Valentine, Nebraska — Near Valentine, Nebraska

David Wing

1971

Geoffrey L. Winningham (born 1943), The Porter's Tree — The Porter's Tree

Geoffrey L. Winningham

1972

Joel Peter Witkin (born 1939), untitled — untitled

Joel Peter Witkin

1987

Marion Post Wolcott (1910–1990), Baptism of members of Primitive Baptist Church in Triplett Creek, Rowan County, near Morehead, Kentucky — Baptism of members of Primitive Baptist Church in Triplett Creek, Rowan County, near Morehead, Kentucky

Marion Post Wolcott

1940