Bond?

I think I might watch too much TV... or perhaps I am overly affected by media. I am sitting at a coffee shop, attempting to focus and work on my thesis... minding my own business. A dramatic Michael Bublé began to dance in my ears, and a man with a black bow tie on a tuxedo shirt, long trench coat, and black gloves walks in, and catches my eye. His hair is slicked back, and he begins to reach in my pocket. And all I can think, as he scopes out the room for his target (or probably just somewhere to sit), is surely he has a gun in his pocket. Why else would a man in a tuxedo shirt walk into a coffee shop with black gloves on and his hand stuck in his pocket?And now he keeps switching seats. For the third time. His position is now locked in the back of the room, where noone can sneak up behind him, and his eyes are focused on everyone. He has no coffee, no book, just himself.


So my imagination is fierce these days. Perhaps it is all of the kids I have been hanging out with lately. But why am I so suspicious of a man alone with nothing to do? What is it about people being "still" that I can't handle? Why isn't he doing something my mind squeals. Well he isn't, and that is fine with him. If only I could be still. If only my mind would rest, and I could be content not doing. Maybe it should be a goal for me this week. Not doing.

These are his confessions

I will now call to mind my past foulness, and the carnal corruptions of my soul: not because I love them, but that I may love Thee, O my God. For love of Thy love I do it; reviewing my most wicked ways in the very bitterness of my rememberance, that Thou mayest grow sweet unto me; (thou sweetness never failing, Though blissful and assured sweetness;) and gather me again out of that my dissipation, wherein I was torn piecemeal, while turned from Thee, the One Good, I lost myself among a multiplicity of things. For I even burnt in my youth hertofore, to be satiated in things below; and I dared to grow wild again, with these various and shadowy loves; my beauty consumed away,and I stand in Thine eyes; pleasing myself, and desirous to please in the eyes of men.

--Augustine Confessions.

Albery Exergian's Art Posters

This Austrian designer has combined his love of modernism and American TV to create these great posters!

.. this one is lines of cocaine for Miami Vice, however my favorite aesthetically...

And of course, for Lost, my new favorite show.

Happy Valentines Day?

Ice Climbing

A waterfall, frozen in time. Breathtaking. Awesome. Humbling. Worship.

I was so overwhelmed by this view. Of the waterfall, of the ice, the blue and yellow crystals that sparkle differently depending on what angle you catch it at. The hike up to the fall, encompassing trees protecting us. Snow covered ground that was so deep in spots I would fall and giggle like a child. Joy streamed through my veins and peace filled my heart. On that path, I knew there was something more out there than just me. Something more to life than my small finite world. A Creator. There had to be. If there wasn't, then what am I living for?

I was so humbled I hit my knees in the middle of the forest. Megan and Jack were at least 100 feet ahead of me. It was dark, I turned off my headlamp and fell straight to the ground. Worship satiated my entire being, it took over me, and there I was, in the middle of the path, unable to move, on my knees. Jack called out to me, embarrassed I yelled, I'm here, I don't get outside much, remember? And so I sat. Because, though I wanted to get up, I couldn't. I was forced to take a moment from my day, and just BE. To respond to the creation around me, and to give thanks. I'm thankful for that moment. I needed it, I needed to be reminded of the power and awe of who it is I claim to worship daily. I needed to be reminded that He is faithful to be there for me, no matter what, that He alone is my protector and my peace. My comfort and my shelter. My joy and hope.

The Roots: How I Got Over

Mako

I'm currently in NYC... visiting my brother, working on my thesis, and seeing friends.

There is something magical about this city... some kind of spirit unknown to other cities. And I wonder, how did it become this way? How did it get to be the city where "it" all begins?

I've decided it's almost a shame to come here for less than a week. In my case it is simple, I have a brother who welcomes me in with a free place to stay... and a hat full of wonderful places to eat delicious things such as arepas.

But this week might be special... I am hoping to meet one of the more influential artists in the past 2 years, Makoto Fujimura. Here is an excerpt from a paper I wrote about him:

Mako, as his friends call him, use to revere art as “our definition of God” (Fujimura, 2007, p. 6). And then his wife started attending church, and so he went, reluctantly. He came to know the missionaries at the church and was intrigued by them, he saw that they were convinced of the reality of Christ. Fujimura was conflicted, because the more he sought internal discipline, and to know himself, the less he could possess outward love. He saw that these missionaries had both inward and outward love, as well as a refreshing and honest view of themselves. But there were still many things he disagreed with in the Bible, and stated that he could not become a Christian. Then one day Mako read a 120 page long poem by William Blake, and his allegiance shifted from Art to Christ. He came to find that Art would not sustain his relationship to others and God, but that in Christ Mako would find his true identity in his Creator. In response to this conversion, he began The Twin Rivers series. He calls them his “transfer of allegiance” paintings (Fujimura, 2007). At the completion of these paintings, Professor Matazo Kayama, his advisor and a celebrated Japanese artist of the Nihonga tradition, found favor in the eyes of Mako’s work. Kayama noted, there is “no question about your sensibility to the tradition and materials, just avoid being too religious with your works” (Fujimura, 2007, p.11). I wondered if Mako faces this kind of hesitation often in regards to his faith? So I asked him, “How often, if ever, do you receive a negative reaction to your faith?” He responded gracefully, saying, “The negative reactions are often muted exclusions from the main stream… I believe that when I pray, ‘Thy Will be done’, I am asking God to close doors as well as open them… so I do not see it as a negative to be ignored and excluded… I am creating a unique niche that only my unique makeup and training can create. In that sense, an artist needs to be always willing to be a misfit” (M. Fujimura, personal communication, April 30, 2009). Makoto is proud of his faith, and if he is not heard, he is not off-put, but simply shakes the dust off his feet and keeps moving. This is what Jesus’ disciples did when they were expelled from their region (Acts 13:50-52).

Here is an image of his art



For more, go to makotofujimura.com...

He is an amazing artist, with an amazing desire to transform our world, and I might get to meet him this week!