"I am the Vine
and Ye are the Branches"
(Arabic: "ana al-karma
wa-antum al-agh-saan")
| Title: |
"I am the Vine
and Ye are the Branches"
(Arabic: "ana al-karma
wa-antum al-agh-saan") |
| Medium: |
Silhouette
paper-cut in iridescent green paper. Cut
by hand using a scalpel. |
| Dimensions: |
Framed
size: N/A Unframed: 50 x 30 cm. |
| Date: |
June 2010 |
| Comments: |
This
piece incorporates the Arabic translation
of Christ's words: "I am the
Vine and Ye are the Branches"
(Gospel of John, 15:5), rendered in a
floral kufic style of Arabic script.
(Arabic pronunciation guide: ana al-karma
wa-antum al-agh-saan)
The vine symbolises the flowing
'sap' or 'lifeblood' (energy) that
nourishes the 'tree of life' (cosmos).
Every one of us is a tiny branch on the
vine. Christ, as the 'vine', connects us
back to the source of life.
Dionysos, the Greek god of wine (or
Bacchus, his Roman equivalent) springs
from the same symbolic tradition as
Christ. Dionysos similarly represents the
raw potent lifeblood or energy of the
universe, though in a wilder, untamed
form. This energy manifests through the
vine in the endless fractals of its
curling fronds and tendrils, and through
the grape in its abundant sweetness. When
the energy is transformed further into
wine, it releases the human inhibitions,
sometimes to the point of revelry,
violence, and uncontrollable passion.
Metaphorically, however, intoxication is
a path to liberation.
Original silhouette paper-cut sold.
In a private collection in Ipswich,
England. Prints also available. Please contact me for further
details. |
Detail
close-ups:
Back to Silhouettes Gallery
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