Nom de Dieu: criticism, blasphemy, satire ... ?

About blasphemy 

Blasphemy, also known as godlessness, is the act of insulting or mocking something considered sacred. The word originates from the Greek "blasphemia," a combination of blaptein (to harm) and pheme (reputation). It can involve expressing words or actions deemed disrespectful toward God, deities, religious symbols, rituals, or beliefs. The meaning of blasphemy varies widely depending on historical, cultural, and philosophical contexts.

The title of the exhibition Nom de Dieu refers to the original prohibition within monotheism against pronouncing or depicting the name of God. In the Old Testament, God reveals Himself with the words "I am who I am." This statement calls for a critical examination of everything that presents itself as divine and warns against creating or venerating false images of God.

Christianity, through the doctrine of incarnation, has been less reserved in creating religious images than Judaism and Islam. Because God became a flesh-and-blood man in Christ, it was permissible to depict Him in human form and to venerate Him in temporal images.

For centuries, blasphemy was seen as both a sin and a crime, referring to acts such as blasphemy, idolatry, desecration, heresy, and public disorder. A blasphemous act was considered a threat to the sacred and social order and undermined the established hierarchy, wherein authority figures such as emperors, kings, and church leaders were regarded as representatives of God on earth.

Since the Enlightenment, blasphemy has been viewed more as an attack on the sensitivities of those who identify with the dominant worldview, such as Christianity in the West. Complaints about blasphemy often come from an intolerant majority, while the accused are typically dissenters or minorities.

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Blasphemous art 

The extent to which a work of art is experienced as blasphemous cannot be clearly determined. What is considered offensive depends on the interaction between the artwork and society; even within the same community, there can be division on this matter.

This exhibition does not intend to cast certain religious groups in a negative light. Although blasphemy is central to the theme, we do not aim to be blasphemous ourselves. We want to emphasize that criticism, satire, and blasphemy are essential elements within Western culture and art. Since the Renaissance, criticism, humor, satire, and parody have been part of art, a tradition that was further strengthened by the Enlightenment and remains relevant today.

Freedom ceases to exist without the space to be critical and potentially offensive. Thus, free inquiry - the freedom to explore reality through science or art - is a principle we must continually cherish.

Art as a counterweight to intolerance and polarization

Research shows that openness to the ambiguity of artistic images contributes to tolerance and understanding. Art and art education can, in this sense, provide a powerful counterweight against intolerance, dogmatism, polarization, and identity politics. We must remain vigilant that necessary struggles for the emancipation of minorities do not turn into new forms of conservatism and fundamentalism.

For deMens.nu and VUB, this exhibition is a way to demonstrate that coexisting in a pluralistic society requires an open, liberal attitude toward life.

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