School name: Jabok College of Applied Social Studies 
Module: T5517 Spirituality and Art 
Course leader: Zdenko Širka, PhD, sirka@jabok.cz  
Summer semester 2025/26, Tuesdays at 15:30 
 
Spirituality and Art
Course annotation:
This  optional  course  explores  the  relationship  between  spirituality  and  art  from  both 
theoretical and experiential perspectives. In the initial sessions, we will examine key concepts, 
approaches, and examples that illustrate how spiritual themes manifest in visual art across 
different periods and cultural contexts. 
Following the introductory theoretical block, the course will adopt an experiential format. 
Every two weeks, we will visit selected art exhibitions in Prague (participants cover their own 
entrance fees). Each visit will be followed by a reflective discussion in a nearby café, where 
students will have the opportunity to critically engage with the exhibited works, share their 
observations,  and  relate  them  to  broader  themes  of  spirituality,  meaning‐making,  and 
aesthetic experience. 
The goal of the course is to deepen students’ understanding of the mutual influences between 
spirituality and artistic expression, and to support the development of their reflective and 
interpretive skills. 
 
Requirements for Course Credit:
To successfully complete the course, the following requirements must be met:
1. Active participation in class: active engagement in discussions and in-class activities is
expected.
2. Exhibition visit, completion of the assigned task, and participation in the subsequent group
reflection.
3. Creation of a portfolio: After each exhibition visit, write approximately one A4 page of notes
(a selected artwork and your reflection on it). Submit the complete portfolio in the
submission system at the end of the course.
4. Exhibition dates are scheduled during class time; exact times, dates, and locations will
always be provided in advance before each gallery visit. Times and dates might change. Any
absence will be handled individually.
5. Each student pays their own admission fee.
6. Please keep in mind that the gallery visit and the subsequent reflection will exceed the usual
90 minutes, so plan extra time! This is precisely why the course takes place once every two
weeks.
COURSE SCHEDULE:
 
 
  
3.2.2026  Spirituality and Art I 
10.2.2026  Spirituality and Art II 
24.2.2026 
Gallery exhibition visit (Trade Fair 
Palace)
10.3 
Gallery  exhibition  visit  (Old  Masters, 
Sternberg / Schwarzenberg Palace) 
24.3 
Gallery  exhibition  visit  (DOX  Centre  for 
Contemporary Art) 
7.4 
Gallery  exhibition  visit  (selected 
churches) 
21.4  Gallery exhibition visit (Kampa) 
5.5 
Gallery exhibition visit (Convent of St 
Agnes of Bohemia) 
19.5  Gallery exhibition visit – your own choice