Interview: Oleg Grabar
March 1st, 2007 by Menachem Wecker
Oleg Grabar is Professor Emeritus at the School of Historical Studies at IAS. Here is what he had to say in response to my questions:
OG: Your queries require a long time to answer intelligently and usefully. I do not really think that religious art has been a divisive force and the story of the Danish cartoons is a clear case of a manipulation by the media to make up stories. There will be an art tied to religion as long as there is religion and there will be a difference between popular art for the masses and sophisticated versions for elites. Since elites are less attached to faiths than they used to be, especially in the western world, there is less “religious” art but it may come back. More thoughts and ideas will take time to put together.