Religion and Culture Combined through Art

Painting in Empellón Al Pastor

There are various religions and cultures within the world. It's common knowledge that religion and culture have always informed and shaped each other Whey they overlap, however, sometimes the result is disastrous. Other times they result in beauty. Such is the case for the piece of art that hangs in Empellón Al Pastor. 

The painting depicts an image of a woman in yellow and green in Dia de los Muertos (Day of the Dead) attire. Upon seeing this piece of art, I recognized religious and cultural history combined through art. According to National Geographic Education, "Dia de los Muertos honors the dead with festivals and lively celebrations, a typically Latin American custom that combines indigenous Aztec ritual with Catholicism." It is an artistic celebration of life, religion, cultures and community through beautiful art. Sitting in the restaurant and enjoying some delicious and authentic Mexican food, I examined and enjoyed the atmosphere. The restaurant bursts with local graffiti artists' creations of modern and religious art, classic rock music and a generally welcoming and familial vibe. This made me realize how appropriate it was for the woman in yellow and green to be hanging there to greet customers; she and the restaurant informed and shaped each other through their authentic combination of community, culture, religion, and art. This realization prompted me to then think further. 

First, I began to think of the many ways in which culture shapes religion. My first thought was of the Catholic Church and how modern culture is changing the doctrines of the Church to make the faith traditions not only more up-to-date and more modern, but also more accessible and open to people of various backgrounds and cultures. For example, in older times homosexuality and members of the LGBTQ community would have been condemned and discriminated against. Today however, (and unfortunately this isn't true for all peoples, cultures and religions) there has been a considerable shift in the Church particularly toward acceptance of homosexuality, with the Pope even asking who he was to judge homosexual priests. One only has to look in their own backyard for signs of this as well, with Saint Paul's Catholic Church and Fordham's faith communities and retreats for those of the LGBTQ community. Furthermore, there are current ongoing discussions regarding topics like marriage, and the relationship between church and state. Culture and modernity are shaping religion, even if there is still a very long way to go. 

Second, as I thought of art and culture, I was reminded of Celia from our class text The Damnation of Theron Ware. Celia, who considers herself Greek--for the arts--has a soul that is infected by her senses. She wants to experience life and all things that make it, well, lively, and her desires and resources to do so make her uninhibited. Like the Day of the Dead, she is unaffected by grief and mourning (while, yes, she has her moments), but is rather a celebrator of and for the beauty and acceptance of change and art. Her art in a sense is her personal faith, her personal religion and culture, and that makes her--as well as her beliefs--unique. In the same sense, the way in which Empellón Al Pastor exists within the lower east side of Manhattan (which in itself has a plethora of religious and cultural claims), is unique, as it seeks to combine those religious and cultural identities of Mexican history to form its own. Through this, the message of authenticity and uniqueness at Empellón is important to the way cultures exist within each other.

Finally, I thought of how the culture I claim affects my own religion and culture. Do I let the things of my personal and immediate culture (i.e. my studies, television, music, society, etc.) get in the way of my growth within my own faith identity? Or do I let culture assist my growth in my religion? Do I allow my religion to inform my culture? Where do the lines overlap? 

Ultimately, I am left with one final question after my experience with Empellón Al Pastor, and the woman in yellow and green. Where else can I see beauty through the combination of religion and culture? 

--Antoinette Swanson




Empellón Al Pastor located at: 

132 St. Marks Place, New York, NY 10009