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 100 artists see god
 to access audio and video on collective you need real player.Heavenly visions at London’s ICA. After September 11 “god was everywhere”, state the curators of 100 Artists See God. However, although she/he enjoyed a Western cultural renaissance, god seemed noticeably absent from art. This exhibition sets about trying to find out how artists actually see god now.Following in the long tradition of spiritual art, the show is by turns touching, playful and contemplative. The work is illuminated in the gloom, behind pew-like barriers and identified on etched plaques. It could be seen as art-as-god, but that doesn’t seem to be its intention. Michael Craig-Martin’s Untitled (God) features a urinal echoing Duchamp’s classic. Damien Hirst’s god is a pill cabinet. Gerhard Richter’s Gray is a monochrome canvas, his statement adding that this is “simply the only possible representation/image of God”. Pieces from big names (including Leonard Nimoy) to less well known artists have varyingly obvious/opaque relationships to god – Jeremy Deller’s bumper sticker reads “God Less America”, Micol Hebron presents a sweet memorial film dedicated to herself. A subject that everyone can offer an opinion on, it couldn’t be more accessible, even to those who agree with Oscar Wilde that “in creating Men, [God] somewhat overestimated his ability”. In times when spiritual beliefs still profoundly affect our lives, it seems pertinent that a little metaphysical consideration should be brought back to the front line of art’s crusade. 100 Artists See God is at the ICA, London, until 09 January 05.
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