In-Spiration (2)
[please scroll down to the earlier post for the start of the story]
I took three subjects in the first semester apart from my fortnightly thesis supervision: the compulsory module Theories of Art History, Iconography and History and Philosophy of Museums. I have to iterate that I have great interest in my thesis topic and find the images so poignant, beautiful and inspiring that I truly thank God for opening this door for me that I may study them in depth. They are such a blessing, a true feast for the eyes and also for the soul. However even the, sometimes, repetitive work of reading book after book, article after article and going through copious amounts of art can dim our attention to detail and even the passion we originally started out with. It is easy to flip through exhibition catalogues and dismiss a painting of a mother with her child as just a variation of another similar work in the same genre.
Altogether so easy to miss out on the in-spiration behind the work: a testimony of the Holy Spirit's presence and ministry to an artist in that window of time.
Crunch time came in the middle of the semester. Already swamped with piles of readings and continuous planning and revision for my thesis, I realised that deadlines for other assignments were fast approaching. With a draft chapter for my thesis [around 3000 words] due 12 May, a Museums essay due 30 May [3000 words], Theories essay due 9 June [4500 words] and an Iconography essay due 11 June [4000 words], I was frantic. There were days when I would awake and the first thought on my mind was: Alright, today I am going to write this amount of words or read this amount of literature. My typical response was to slot the workload according to days, being so careful to take stock of my progress. It became such a challenge to pry my mind away from these 'to-dos' and to find rest in God, trusting Him to carry me through the period.
And He did, He really did, working in ways that till now astound me.
Firstly the deadlines moved (really!). My Museums essay received a week's extension and the Theories essay could be handed in a day later because the Queen's birthday fell on the 9th. This turned out well because my birthday fell on the 8th and I could quite merrily take a full day off. Secondly He taught me a lot about the material I was learning and the choices I make in a way that university is unable to.
At the start of the semester we were made to select a topic for Theories to present on and it was to become the basis for a full-fledged research essay. In less than two minutes flat, the topic I wanted was snatched up online. I signed up under the reserve slot but it was a no-go. All that I ended up having was the topic I wanted least - Ornament. I was absolutely devastated, recalling how I prayed the night before for God to grant me a slot for Reception Aesthetics. What was so interesting about arabesques, palmettes and those orderly intricate designs on Oriental rugs and Corinthian columns?? Afterall hasn't Western art marginalised ornament or decoration as excessive and of far lesser worth than the human figure? As I was prepping my presentation, I randomly selected a work by Matisse that was not even well-known. It turned out to be a stroke of grace. My lecturer thought it was highly apt and encouraged me to use it for my research essay. No sweat. God has just dropped this into my path and cleared the way for my research, which turned out to be straightforward and relatively easy. It is like the moment the image came everything else just fell in place. No competition for the books I needed to borrow and planning was such a breeze. God's gentle mercy. I will always remember what my lecturer said: Sometimes I think that these artworks mean much more than the paintings or sculptures we're so used to. They are discreet, part of the furniture, hidden somewhere, not the centerpiece. But yet they're so significant to that which they're part of. Well this was the gist of it. And this comes from a Baroque specialist no less.
I sense God telling me that it is not size that matters. That which we slight ever so often has a role to play. And sometimes it pays to take heed of these details - the seemingly small and insignificant for they have great worth and beauty too. You have a overwhelming Titian and also the ornamental motifs on the wooden frame surrounding it; the palatial Banquet of Cleopatra by Tiepolo and also the patterns on the figures' garments. Research was quite a ride. I came into contact with tifaifai (Polynesian applique quilts) and saw the evolution of the lotus flower into the palmette. They were amazing artists back then. =)
There was another incident that the Lord showed His amazing grace. With less than two weeks to research and write my essay on St Jerome for Iconography, there was an uphill battle to face. There were 3 other people writing on the same topic and there's this unmentioned pressure to be 'original'. In the last week of semester we were asked to briefly present on what we intend to write about. The other two girls present then were already researching on Jerome and I remember feeling extremely left out because I honestly had nothing much to say. Then somehow the thought of linking depictions of St Jerome to the ancient Greco-Roman philosopher model came to mind. InSpiration! The Lord is good. He knew the limitations I faced (there was severe competition for books in this case) and He was faithful all the way.
I never sensed such a strong presence from the Lord in my studies before as He inspired me and gave me clarity and the determination to see things through to the end without burning out. Things were not easy-peasy but the effort was worth it. The results are not in yet but that is not all there is to it, yeah? Above all the fact that I reached the other side still with hope alive for what is yet to come, is a testimony of the grace He showed me, and still shows me. I am so thankful to Him for carrying me all through the semester, every single day.
All praises to the Lord God Almighty!
I took three subjects in the first semester apart from my fortnightly thesis supervision: the compulsory module Theories of Art History, Iconography and History and Philosophy of Museums. I have to iterate that I have great interest in my thesis topic and find the images so poignant, beautiful and inspiring that I truly thank God for opening this door for me that I may study them in depth. They are such a blessing, a true feast for the eyes and also for the soul. However even the, sometimes, repetitive work of reading book after book, article after article and going through copious amounts of art can dim our attention to detail and even the passion we originally started out with. It is easy to flip through exhibition catalogues and dismiss a painting of a mother with her child as just a variation of another similar work in the same genre.
Altogether so easy to miss out on the in-spiration behind the work: a testimony of the Holy Spirit's presence and ministry to an artist in that window of time.
Crunch time came in the middle of the semester. Already swamped with piles of readings and continuous planning and revision for my thesis, I realised that deadlines for other assignments were fast approaching. With a draft chapter for my thesis [around 3000 words] due 12 May, a Museums essay due 30 May [3000 words], Theories essay due 9 June [4500 words] and an Iconography essay due 11 June [4000 words], I was frantic. There were days when I would awake and the first thought on my mind was: Alright, today I am going to write this amount of words or read this amount of literature. My typical response was to slot the workload according to days, being so careful to take stock of my progress. It became such a challenge to pry my mind away from these 'to-dos' and to find rest in God, trusting Him to carry me through the period.
And He did, He really did, working in ways that till now astound me.
Firstly the deadlines moved (really!). My Museums essay received a week's extension and the Theories essay could be handed in a day later because the Queen's birthday fell on the 9th. This turned out well because my birthday fell on the 8th and I could quite merrily take a full day off. Secondly He taught me a lot about the material I was learning and the choices I make in a way that university is unable to.
At the start of the semester we were made to select a topic for Theories to present on and it was to become the basis for a full-fledged research essay. In less than two minutes flat, the topic I wanted was snatched up online. I signed up under the reserve slot but it was a no-go. All that I ended up having was the topic I wanted least - Ornament. I was absolutely devastated, recalling how I prayed the night before for God to grant me a slot for Reception Aesthetics. What was so interesting about arabesques, palmettes and those orderly intricate designs on Oriental rugs and Corinthian columns?? Afterall hasn't Western art marginalised ornament or decoration as excessive and of far lesser worth than the human figure? As I was prepping my presentation, I randomly selected a work by Matisse that was not even well-known. It turned out to be a stroke of grace. My lecturer thought it was highly apt and encouraged me to use it for my research essay. No sweat. God has just dropped this into my path and cleared the way for my research, which turned out to be straightforward and relatively easy. It is like the moment the image came everything else just fell in place. No competition for the books I needed to borrow and planning was such a breeze. God's gentle mercy. I will always remember what my lecturer said: Sometimes I think that these artworks mean much more than the paintings or sculptures we're so used to. They are discreet, part of the furniture, hidden somewhere, not the centerpiece. But yet they're so significant to that which they're part of. Well this was the gist of it. And this comes from a Baroque specialist no less.
I sense God telling me that it is not size that matters. That which we slight ever so often has a role to play. And sometimes it pays to take heed of these details - the seemingly small and insignificant for they have great worth and beauty too. You have a overwhelming Titian and also the ornamental motifs on the wooden frame surrounding it; the palatial Banquet of Cleopatra by Tiepolo and also the patterns on the figures' garments. Research was quite a ride. I came into contact with tifaifai (Polynesian applique quilts) and saw the evolution of the lotus flower into the palmette. They were amazing artists back then. =)
There was another incident that the Lord showed His amazing grace. With less than two weeks to research and write my essay on St Jerome for Iconography, there was an uphill battle to face. There were 3 other people writing on the same topic and there's this unmentioned pressure to be 'original'. In the last week of semester we were asked to briefly present on what we intend to write about. The other two girls present then were already researching on Jerome and I remember feeling extremely left out because I honestly had nothing much to say. Then somehow the thought of linking depictions of St Jerome to the ancient Greco-Roman philosopher model came to mind. InSpiration! The Lord is good. He knew the limitations I faced (there was severe competition for books in this case) and He was faithful all the way.
I never sensed such a strong presence from the Lord in my studies before as He inspired me and gave me clarity and the determination to see things through to the end without burning out. Things were not easy-peasy but the effort was worth it. The results are not in yet but that is not all there is to it, yeah? Above all the fact that I reached the other side still with hope alive for what is yet to come, is a testimony of the grace He showed me, and still shows me. I am so thankful to Him for carrying me all through the semester, every single day.
All praises to the Lord God Almighty!
