The Interactive Hymnal:
Jesus Movement (1970's) Edition
This piece uses an old hymnal, paintings and QR codes with influential American Christian songs inspired by the hippie movement to express the effects of the Jesus Movement on American Christian Music. The art piece is intended to be an interactive retelling of history outlining the revitalization of American Christianity and the impact that counter-culturalism had on how the American Christian church comprehended music.
The piece utilized a used hymnal that she acquired from a local church in Seattle to highlight traditional expressions of music in the Christian church.
The artist used a QR code generator to create specific links to different recordings of influential 'Jesus music' songs that impacted the Jesus Movement. Shown here are examples of QR codes within the book accompanied by images reflecting this time period.
When a viewer scans the QR code with their phone it takes them to a link, in this case it is the song Sweet, Sweet Song of Salvation by Larry Norman (1969) who is known as the "father of Christian rock." This song was one of his most popular and was controversial because it used the guitar and a rock inspired rhythm and chord progression which was traditionally rejected from the American Christian church.
The artist used imagery highlighting the impact that the hippie movement had on American Christianity and the evangelical efforts of modernizing Christianity and attracting more youth by Jesus' counter-cultural persona and focus on love, acceptance, and inclusion.
When the viewer flips through the book they are met with images and information outlining the revitalization of American Christian music and the shift in stylings that The Jesus Movement inspired.
In the middle of the book the word LOVE is painted using color schemes and imagery from The Jesus Movement directly. Shown here is Larry Norman's revolutionary song Why Should The Devil Have All The Good Music? (1972) which was a major influencer on American Christian music.
