Curiously, the cross is becoming more of a religious icon than Christ himself when it comes to crucifix art. Whereas traditional artists tried to depict the event of the Passion, contemporary artists are looking more into what the Passion means through cross paintings in the everyday lives of people.
Themes of faith, family, friends, hope, and salvation are all common themes in contemporary cross art. Although there are still several modern artists who use traditional ways to communicate the Passion, typically these paintings will be focused on the Resurrection or on the ways that Jesus proved that He was the Son of God, rather than His death on the cross. However, in the same way that the cross has become an icon for the Passion, it has also become a symbol that is frequently used in paintings featuring religious areas, such as a landscape painting featuring a church or mission, and is a symbol of hope amid despair.
