Spiritual Traces: Reflections and Conversations on Contemporary Art

Some of the most compelling spiritual insights today come from artists, both through their art and what they say about it. Yet interviewers and critics rarely ask artists searching questions about their spiritual interests, missing a key feature in the landscape of contemporary art. With a fresh, jargon-free style, Aaron Rosen--a leading scholar, writer, and curator--addresses this gap. He takes readers into studios, galleries, and worship spaces as he paints a compelling picture of art and spirituality today through essays and interviews. As the title suggests, Rosen pays special attention to places where spiritual traces might appear hidden, fleeting, or on the edge of possibility, which creates room for readers to ruminate on their own spiritual leanings and interests. Rosen focuses on close engagements with individual artists, from established names to emerging talents, drawing upon close relationships with artists from across the globe and many traditions. With more than sixty color images of works ranging from paintings to performances, this volume is essential reading for those looking to see art today in a new light.

Aaron Rosen, PhD is a writer, curator, and non-profit leader, respected internationally for his work in the public humanities, interfaith dialogue, and the arts. He is Executive Director of The Clemente Course in the Humanities, a national non-profit delivering transformative, free college courses to underserved communities.



Dr. Rosen is also Visiting Professor of Sacred Traditions & the Arts at King's College London, where he taught previously. He served as Director of the Henry Luce III Center for the Arts and Religion in Washington, DC and began his career as a fellow at Yale, Oxford, and Columbia Universities. He received his PhD from the University of Cambridge.



Rosen has curated dozens of exhibitions and is founding director of the not-for-profit Parsonage Gallery in Maine. He is the author or editor of thirteen books, including Spiritual Traces, Brushes with Faith, What Would Jesus See?, and Art & Religion in the 21st Century.