Artist’s Statement Matthew 5:16 NRSV

In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to God in heaven. (Matthew 5:16 NRSV)

Light. There is trouble here. Racist usage of this language for centuries has applied the light/dark metaphorical imagery in the bible to forward the oppression of non-white bodies. We see here and now in the United States of America the resurgence of overt publicly declared racist language involving a hierarchy of light to dark skin among the power structures that be.

In this scripture, could Matthew really be talking about racist ideas as he quotes the beginnings of Incarnate God’s sermon on the mount? It’s possible. From the visual perspective, though, it would seem that historical context calls up the concern with darkness as more related to the tangible absence of light sources once the sun went down. Fear.

So then, if “your light” is not a mention of your skin color and a dangerously simplified connection between chosenness and how a person looks, chosenness and which religion God is calling a person through. Aren’t all people God’s children, and all of God’s children chosen? What does it mean to shine your light? What does it mean to have your “good works seen?”

Created in dye on silk. The art in worship for this Luminosity conference is an expression of reflected light. Color and light are directly related in the way that the color black absorbs all lightwaves and the color white reflects all lightwaves. Here, the colors of the rainbow dance and blend, offering a tantalizing, joyful, active expression of the gradations of light absorption. Blues absorb reds, oranges, yellows, and greens scattering the blue color back into our eye. Oranges absorb reds, reflecting orange into our eye. Through a prism, light bends in a different light/color relationship. Blues and purples travel in shorter wavelengths and bend more, while reds and oranges travel in longer wavelengths and bend less.

Like blues scattering to be seen, how is it that our good works are reflected? It seems we stand again at a precipice of the gospel call. 2000 years later, again being asked to consider how God’s love is seen through us. Again we go from this place, scattering into the eye of God. How shall our good works be seen? How are we lifting the basket? Can we see other baskets lifting and join their fire? Can we let the glory of God scatter, reflect, refract, blend, dance among her creation, her children, her everyone, everywhere.

Or perhaps that image is overwhelming—paralyzing in its aspirational beauty and grandeur.

How about a bamboo brush, a single dip in the dye, one curvy brush stroke on the silk? Can we do what we can control, bend and scatter in ways that are attainable in our day? This art project is one of generations. We cannot see the full image, the final blend, church, God’s got that. Scatter, fearless, and light the candle.

~Artist, Hannah Garrity