Pictures not only play an increasingly important role in our world, they are also prominent objects in religious practice. In the context of religion, pictures produce a sense of transcendental presence through which they gain a special status. Pictures are objects of everyday use. They are seen, shown, displayed, venerated, shared, widely circulated, abandoned, exposed to censorship and participate in rituals. Stressing the fundamental role pictures play in the larger fabric of religious, cultural, social and political life, this visually rich course examines pictures with focus on modern and contemporary Hinduism through various new media such as prints, photographs, film, and mobile photographs on the social media platform Instagram. For instance, we will look at how the popular inexpensive prints (also known as “calendar art,” “god posters,” “bazaar art,” and “god photos”) came into being, learn about their production and distribution, and analyze their iconography and aesthetics. Further, we will look at photographs of prominent religious figures, such as Vivekananda, Ramakrishna, Sai Baba, Mahatma Gandhi and Ambedkar, which will help us to discuss the religious, social and communal function of pictures, as well as their reception and the role they play as means of identity formation. Beyond equipping the students with essential tools and knowledge in studying pictures, it will offer students an apt point of entry into popular religious practices.
- Kursleiter/in: Anne Hartig