KristinR1117Makoto Fujimura is “wrestling with the deeper issues of culture” through art. Fujimura, an artist, spoke last month to students at The King’s College in New York City, as a part of the school’s Distinguished Visitor Series. He talked about the importance of art in culture, and the significance of Christians creating art.

Fujimura said that art is “a way of mediating the culture,” adding that the brokenness that underlies everyday life should be made visible in culture through art. He said that there is a “serious culture malaise that we can’t just run away from,” and that Christian artists can help the culture see the sources of this brokenness as well as “lead the way to hope.”

Artists fulfill a unique role because “we don’t have to avoid difficult issues,” Fujimura said, pointing out that the events of Sept. 11, 2001, affected him as an artist. His art studio was a few blocks away from the attack at World Trade Center. He described this time as “a moment when New York became New York.” Fujimura said that the people of this “beautiful and messy” city became more open to “have a conversation” and able to use art “to address this broken reality.”

Fujimura told King’s students that “the arts are absolutely integral to society,” The arts, he said, are important because “we need to lament, but we also need to hope,” and art provides an outlet for both. According to Fujimura, art is also valuable because it provides an “opportunity to leave something for the generation ahead of us.”

Kristin Rudolph is a student at The King’s College in New York City.