The Essences of Creation Perspective in Art and Life
The strokes in my paintings -- in all Post Conceptual Ungraven Image paintings -- symbolically represent the smallest wave-like motions, also called strings and membranes by elementary (pre-particle) physicists. Pre-particles combine to form particles, which further combine to form electrons, photons and neutrons, and thus atoms.
In the theology of all of Christianity and Judaism (all branches and denominations) when the Lord speaks, “Let there be light,”and then for six days continues speaking the physical universe into existence, the letters in those divinely uttered words (in Hebrew for all of Christendom, too) symbolize the essential building blocks of the universe.
There is space between or surrounding the strokes of a painting, just as there is space between or surrounding the pre-particles and then particles. The physical universe as we experience it on earth has plenty of space; however, we often mistake atoms and compounds that seem to be invisible to us, such as oxygen, as space. Oxygen, although it appears clear does take up space.
When I paint a stroke, which is for me a Hebrew letter from a biblical text, I am symbolically representing a wave-like motion, string or membrane (all synonyms that describe the same idea/reality). When I am painting, I actually hold photocopies of biblical texts in Hebrew, as I learned that actually holding up a Bible for long lengths of time is tiring. When I take a break, I use a Post-It note to hold my place on my photocopy.
Each stroke in a painting exists in a kind of space of its own, even if it touches or overlaps other strokes. This is true any painting. It is also true for letters in printed materials, such as books or scrolls. The space surrounding a letter in painting is as important as the letter itself. The space helps to define the letter.
A stroke or a letter is something I make or do on a painting. For example, although I am the creative artist of any specific painting of mine (and hold the copyright), I did not invent the Hebrew alphabet and I did not author the biblical texts used for each painting (check ungravenimage.com references for texts used for each painting or print).
You probably know that I did not create the English alphabet nor language -- although I am creating with it now as I write this piece. Actually, I am keyboarding my words, once again using my hands to “speak”.
When I am painting in Hebrew from a biblical text I am aware that I am painting with the letters and language of God. For me it is holy, even if I am painting a scene from a photograph I took of a nearby sunset or sunrise, an otherwise secular landscape. By painting the words of the Lord in otherwise secular scenes, the presence of the words and design of the Creator is acknowledged and represented. My mission is to change the way we see the world one painting at a time.
If my strokes in a painting or words typed on a keyboard convey images and ideas, then also the words from my mouth present an equally real impact. Personally, some things that people have said to me have had a meaningful and lasting impact on my life. Sometimes the words were personal; sometimes they were not, such as the words of the constitution of the USA.
Paintings, sculpture, dance, novels, poetry, or music (vibrations, like those wave like motions), performances, film, etc., can change the way we experience the world and ourselves in it.
So too can our everyday actions and words effect our experiences and those of others who come in contact with them. We are each creating a constant outpouring of words, images, meaning, sound, physical presence through our lives at every moment.
Continued CLICK HERE
September 26, 2006 |
