Artist's Statement

by

Devi Anne Moore

In the Book of Hebrews, the things of this earth are referred to as copies, shadows or dim reflections of the eternal heavenly dimension. This concept motivated me to visually interpret the vivid word pictures of Revelation. I chose to utilize constructed paintings combining three dimensional objects, photographic images and painted illusions. The results literally break through the two dimensional picture plane.

In keeping with the Hebrew reference, the intention is to suggest that what is of this earth is only a dim glimpse of the true reality of the heavenly realm.  This combination also communicates a message in the form of visual poetry derived from the prophetic narrative. Through these images, I feel that I have created a sense of urgency conveying the immediate possibility of impending events.

My inclination was to produce visual poetry and to reject any notion that the work must be only literal and realistically rendered.  Thus the images are "the WORD made visual." My hope is that the art assists all interested in Revelation to be able to read and meditate on the text for personal understanding--for it is promised that all who read the book will be blessed (Rev. 22:7). 

One of the most challenging and rewarding aspects of reading the Bible is that the text has multiple layers of meaning. In my series, I have attempted to distill from these layers images of relevant pictorial poetry which should first be viewed for its formal visual aesthetic and secondly, for it's scriptural relevancy. However, ultimately the real life-blood would derive from the combined aesthetic and spiritual force within the series.    

Thus, these seven series attempts to be more like pictorial poetry which emotionally stimulates the viewer beyond the superficial into the spiritual. My pictorial space attempts to present the old familiar Apocalyptic text through a new and fresh expression.

 
A significant influence of old was the art of the Beatus commentaries on the Apocalypse rendered at the turn of the first millennium. To the Medieval mind, the visual interpretation was equally as important as the scriptural source. Without adding to the text, the artists made it both relevant and pertinent to their circumstances by presenting, in the preferred abstract style, contemporary symbols and images within the pages.

I was in awe of this abstract art form that had such a prophetic presence. Because this style of art impacted me so deeply, I did and still do continue to ask myself how I can use this as a source of my work.

The motivation behind the Beatus manuscript can only be understood in terms of a deep Messianic faith which had given solace to the indigenous Spanish population at the end of the first Millennium. The Spanish Medieval mind anticipated the New Heavenly Jerusalem to alleviate their alien situation among their foes, the Muslims, who ruled over them.