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Art Show: Epic: Classic Themes in Contemporary Art

Regarding Jonah: Labors of Love and Terror

by Jesse Lee Carkin

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Art: Regarding Jonah: Labors of Love and Terror by Artist Jesse Lee Carkin
This is a collaborative piece between my wife and I, which focusses on the book of Jonah, especially chapters two and four. In both these chapters there are key elements which are often left out of the retelling of the story. In the Psalm of chapter two it is mentioned that Jonah was in the depths of the ocean. In chapter four, there is also a time when Jonah is overlooking Ninevah and waiting for God to smite the Ninevites. While he is there God grows a vine over night to give Jonah shade. Another common association is that Jonah is swallowed by a whale, even though the text says it was a "great fish." Bearing all this in mind we wanted to create our own fish which illustrated these things, as well as holding in tension the despair and hope of Jonah's plight. Like most Jonah art throughout history, this piece was influenced by pop-culture. The lure fish idea came from the movie "Finding Nemo." This piece will go on display in the old Duke University Divinity School building shortly, where it will later take up permanent residence.

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