When I see this picture I think of it in contrast to the iconic painting of God and Adam by Michelangelo. In the painting, God is reaching down to earth to man. In this photo it seems that man is trying to find a way to God. This ties into the history of the church in general, and art as it has portrayed the gods as distant, cold figures.

This photo is interesting because it is obvious that the man's efforts will be in vain and end by crashing on the sharp rocks below.

It is true that our efforts to reach God will be in vain and end in disaster. It is because of this reason, that this photograph is compelling. it would be interesting to hear what a person who does not have a similar belief system would see in this photo.

Picture of God

This photograph is a portrayal (albeit a limited one) of God. More specifically, it is a portrayal of the triune God of the Bible. In periods of art history God has been portrayed rather grandly, glowing with halo overhead. As time progressed however, we see God (Jesus specifically) being depicted as a more average person. This was offensive to many as Jesus started to look more like a peasant. This photograph takes this idea one step further and portrays each part of God through various parts of the human body. The Father is represented as hands. The Son as feet. The Holy Spirit as lips.

When I thought about each side of God, these are the parts I imagined. The hands that represent the Father convey creation, molding, touch. The feet are meant to remind us that Jesus walked the earth as a man; human feet are unique in form. The lips represent the Holy Spirit, who reminds me of breath, comfort, and giving of wisdom. I choose to represent God with human parts, not to diminish his deity, but to echo the message that we are made in God's image.

Of course, there can never be a perfect representation of God. Taking a picture of Him is impossible. However, I hope to convey the beautiful characteristics of the triune God, while reminding us that it is marvelous that we are made in His image. We are fearfully and wonderfully made!

Portrayal of Jesus

Caravaggio's Thomas Touching the Side of Jesus

This painting fits into art history in a couple of ways. First, notice the shallow depth of field; There is no grand landscape behind the subjects. This seems typical of Caravaggio. There is nothing to distract us from what is happening in the scene. It is as if we are leaning forward along with the subjects of the painting. This lack of scenery is a departure from various periods in art history. Second, the disciples and Jesus (to an extent) are not explicitly portrayed like deities and saints; they look like "peasants," which was considered extremely distasteful in periods of art history's past. They are simply "average-looking" men who are not standing in any grand poses with stoic expressions, but are straining and squinting.

I choose to look at this image because of the things that it is missing, the things mentioned above. I said Jesus looks like a peasant only "to an extent" because he does look noticeably different from the disciples. He looks much more put together and somewhat glorified. I like the fact that this painting seems to be inviting us to lean in with the disciples and see the miracle that has taken place.

I think that this painting has a message to offer, along with aesthetic beauty. However, I realize that any portrayal of Jesus is limited. I have a feeling that an actual look at the real Jesus would surprise us all in one way or another. I feel it is impossible for us to know on this earth exactly what Jesus looked like. If we acknowledge this limitation, then we can look past our erroneous and finite assumptions to the story and character of our savior.

The Body

The inspiration for this photo comes from Ancient Egyptian sculpture. There are some subtle similarities between the two. The sculpture was often fixed to a background of sorts rather than being freestanding. The overall demeanor of the figures seemed to be somewhat tense, frequently with fists clenched. Both of these can be seen interpreted in the photo.

How does all of this relate to the body? It seems that Egyptian sculpture’s emphasis was not so much on the body itself. Of course the body was present and visible, but the focus seemed to be placed on the posture of the body and the story or idea it was trying to convey.

My favorite observation about this photo as it relates to Egyptian sculpture is that, in Ancient Egyptian sculpture, both the “background” and the figure itself were made of the same material. They had simply been carved out of a single block of the material. The “man of 2010” is seen here “fixed” to a mirror. Would you agree that this is a fair representation of the man of 2010? Keep in mind that the Egyptians’ sculptures most always depicted the pharaohs or the gods. What are the qualities of a mirror? What connotations does it hold?

Test Post

Test Post...