I recently posted a picture/collage of Psalm 13 on the walls of Taffy's. I purchased the collage from a friend of mine in 1997 and always had it on the wall of my office. I recently decided to hang it over the couch at Taffy's.
The response to the picture was mixed!
Before I get to the comments of one of my friend and customer, I would like to share the visual in words: The collage is a depiction of Psalm 13 : 13:1 "How long, O Lord? Will you forget me forever? How long will you hide your face from me?"
Actually you must see the great collage to get the 'feel' for the meaning.
One of my good friends Chris A. questioned, why I would hang such a 'depressing' picture at Taffy's. I held my breath for a second . . . because I had never thought that it was depressing.
Is God not absent from us anyway? I believe that God is not present in our life at all. (That does not mean, that God is not present in the total picture) But is God available to us on a very personal level?
- I don't think so!
Although God knew us long before we were born in our mothers womb, and God certainly knows the the actions we will take; and God most certainly knows the outcome of our life on earth, . . .
But unfortunately God is NOT available on a personal level. If so, where would God draw the 'line'? Prayers are not answered when God fearing Christians ask to win the lottery and worse yet . . . in most cases we cannot even receive a physical healing from deadly cancer . . . no matter how hard we pray.
So, Psalm 13 for me represent the moment when we are no longer able to feel the footprint of God within us and the answers that were given to us personally (because I believe that all the answers for our questions are given to us by God, and are deep within us) long before we were born. The questions that remain unanswered transpose themselves into fear into our lives.
Fear and Love, the ONLY two component that motivate us in our life.
And that is really what the picture/collage is about . . . . seeking back the place of belonging; finding hope; comfort; and simply a moment of rest from the shadow of life that our God had never intended of us.
Come and see for yourself.
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6 comments:
Art is in the eye of the beholder and my dislike for the piece in question has nothing to do with God, humanity, or the meaning of life. It's simply my opinion that the image, as meaningful as it may be to some, is simply depressing. Stark black and white with it's ransom-note style collage of pasted clippings, it displays images of death and lamentations of foreboding. It's certainly not the kind of image that's going to brighten anyone's day, at least not mine. I guess that was my point. My dislike for this picture is based simply on how I view Taffy's. For me, Taffy's is a place of escape, an oasis. It's a place to go to see friends, laugh, listen to music while leaving the trials and tribulations of life behind for a few hours. When I go to Taffy's I'm stepping inside a happy place and I want to leave the negativity of the world outside the door. As far as I'm concerned the picture is simply not a "happy" image. It's an creation dominated by death, despair and rejection. I certainly feel no compulsion or desire what-so-ever to be reminded of those sad facts of life while relaxing and drinking a cup of coffee.
Despite the depressing nature of this picture, my personal appreciation and affection for Taffy's, its owner, its staff and its patrons remain unchanged. There is no place I'd rather hang out and drink coffee than Taffys'.
Now if they only sold cigars.
. . . OK, I will sell cigars! But only to those who enjoy a great discussion like you my friend.
While preparing for my upcoming art display at Taffy's, I have been thinking about pieces. Fragments. Shards. Bits. Sometimes, I believe, it is good to recognize that we live in a post-modern mindset (especially so for the younger crowd) and that connectedness is, at once, a blessing and a curse. Like the picture over the couch at Taffy's, not all of life is bright and bold, yet as Chris A. points out, sometimes we simply want to seek refuge in the light, joyful and secure places. My experience is that both can and most assuredly does exist juxtaposed within our own experiences. No matter how dark something might be, without that darkness, one would not appreciate the light as one should. When the shadows fall, it is only because of the light that we recognize the shape and form of the shadow.
Just a Tuesday morning thought.
Hi Manfred! I have yet to see this new painting above the couch..I'm interested to see it for myself. Anyways..just wanted to give you a quick note and let you know someone else is reading your thoughts.
:)
http://www.enduringword.com/commentaries/19013.htm After reading some on the blog I wanted to respond and find some comments on this Psalm. I picked the above link which , I believe has used a lot of Spurgeon's comments. http://www.rbc.org/devotionals/our-daily-bread/2001/07/24/devotion.aspx This was also a good link. I believe we as humans are foucused on what is happening around us and it is impossible to see the larger picture of what God has for us in store. I think we rely on emotions and forget God's word that he cares for us more than the sparrow Mat.10 Your best friend,Bobster
Says Liz..So I’ve broke down , I’m telling my peace on this photograph. Even though I’ve had the chance to hear the story of the meaning of this picture, I had my own first impressions. I don’t believe light and darkness is necessarily quite black and white, as the girl on the front, even though surrounded by death, seems sad for other reasons. And that’s life. Manford says we are only run by two things and that is “Love and Fear”, so simple. So why does it at times seem so strangling? This girl reminds me of everything I am thankful for, even in sadness. We are all insane.
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