When new art arrives at the Seminary, my friend Josh and I attend the reception for the artist. We try to meet and support the artist, and try to remember that there is more to life and faith than sticking our noses in books and trying to wax eloquent in precepts.
Yesterday we went to the He Qi exhibit at Erdman. Qi is a Chinese Christian folk artist, known internationally for his craft, and his use of vivid colors and strong lines. His work reminds me of Georges Rouault, one of my favorite artists.
Two of my favorite pieces at the show were The Finding of Moses and The Risen Lord. In The Finding of Moses, I appreciate the faces of the four women, whose lack of features leaves room for interpretation and wonder. The Risen Lord's colors are brilliant!
Check his website for more of his work, and to learn about his journey. He seems to be a very humble man, passionate about faith and art.
If you are in Princeton, his work will be here for only a short time, so take a few minutes to stop and enjoy it!
Josh, thanks for sharing. I will try to make it out to Erdmans. The two paintings you've shown here remind me of one of my great joys in art portraying the biblical story: the way people see themselves in the stories and portray the characters as looking similar to themselves. It's a beautiful illustration of the universality and specificity of Christ.
Posted by: andrea | April 06, 2006 at 03:20 PM
yeah - He Qi is brilliant. Can't believe I missed the talk - I forgot about it! If you like Rouault, he is the current installation at the MoBiA (musuem of Biblical art in NYC) and he rocks the house.
Posted by: Brennan Breed | April 06, 2006 at 03:29 PM
I've long loved He Qi's work, and I was so glad that it was featured a bit ago on the Presbyterian Planning Calendar.
I'm jealous that I'm not able to see it in person. Thanks for the post.
Posted by: kairos | April 11, 2006 at 11:16 AM