21 Swings

21 Swings is an interactive public project recently set up in the streets of Montreal by Canadian design collective Daily Tous Les Jours. "Pre-recorded sounds from a xylophone, piano, and other instruments were programmed into color-coded swings that when in use play various notes, however when swung in unison with careful cooperation, more complex melodies and harmonies arise. An additional “secret mode” was programmed to only play when all 21 swings were in use." (description taken from thisiscolossal.com)

Watch here:

 

What I LOVE about this project is how utterly heavenly it is. It combines sound, light, movement, color, community, simplicity, rest and more into one thing. The fact that it requires that you lay down your felt need to hurry in order to sit down and swing, which then entrances you into a new pace, almost a new realm, is a wonderful thing in and of itself. But, I find it to speak infinitely more.

We all have 5 senses and while much of our history has developed the art that entices these senses individually, now we find ourselves seeking to combine the arts to bring about something even more spectacular. It's no longer just about visual, or audio, or texture, taste and touch, it's about how we can combine them and join in.

We know that God is the Creator of these things. We recognize His artistry in creation's marvels; but have you ever really thought of God as an artist? Have you ever thought of God as a musician? He created sound and gave sounds to many things but did you also know that He wrote songs? (One such example is in Deuteronomy 31:19,21) And have you ever thought of God as chef, director, curator, designer, etc?

If God is the I AM, not a singular thing can define Him except the name which encompasses all of His qualities, and if God is not a human being which experiences things through their senses; what if God is Himself a sense to be experienced. What if God is as much to be found in smell as He is in feeling? What if God is to be found in taste as much as in hearing? ("Oh, taste and see that the Lord is good!.." Psalm 34:8) Just a thought.

One of my favorite scenes in literature is the creation of Narnia in The Magician's Nephew by C.S. Lewis. Aslan sings Narnia into creation that brought about light, movement, color and unison. Another example of what I'm talking about can be found in The Shack by WM. Paul Young. In Chapter 15 the character's eyes are healed for an evening to see as the trinity sees, that the world around him interacts through color and light; that people exude colors from within themselves and relationship creates an array of light and colors. It paints a picture of a redeemed world where our senses reach their full potential and we interact on sensory levels we have not yet reached nor known.

I think anything that brings together different aspects of creation is a glory to behold. I think that whoever created these 21 swings was very in tune to the feelings and wantings of man; his need to rest, to be inspired, to tap into those child-like thrills, his need for simple refreshing, his need for community and others. One man on a swing makes one sound, but together they make another sound; should they seek different rhythms they would find different sounds altogether.

I see God's character, His artistry, written all over something like this. It challenges me as an artist and also as a human raising the bar in how I interact with this world God gave us. What do you see? What do you feel? What do you think?

 

Photo Rescue Take 2

Again I found myself in another antique shop and, once again, found an awesome stack of old photographs being sold for $1 a piece. What I love about these things is 1) they're beautiful and 2) I find myself trying to recreate the very things that once were so normal in the era these were taken. And, for whatever reason, these weren't seen to be the art they are now realized to be. Look at us. We have hundreds of photo applications and editing mediums in attempts to recreate these beautiful, dreamy effects of pure simplicity and elegance. They are hidden treasures that I love being able to find.

 

Be A Comma

"I turn the music up, I got my records on. From underneath the rubble, sing a rebel song. Don't want to see another generation drop. I'd rather be a comma than a full stop." - Every Tear Drop Is A Waterfall by Coldplay

 

Inheritance

In Numbers and Deuteronomy it talks about the inheritance of the Levites, of the priests. While the other tribes of Jacob were given land as an inheritance, the Levites were given none of the sort but it says, "The Lord is his inheritance." (Deuteronomy 10:9) 

Now Jesus comes and takes His place as our High Priest (Hebrews 2:17, 3:1, 4:14-15, 5:1-10, 6:20, 7:27-28, 8:1,3, 9:11, 9:25, 13:11-12) calling us into His royal priesthood (1Peter 2:9) to become co-heirs with Christ and partake of His portion- Himself (Romans 8:17). Now the Lord is our inheritance also.

 

That's such a simple statement with profound and exquisite consequences. He came to establish an inheritance that we could share in!

 

Back in Numbers and Deuteronomy, the Lord takes time going into great detail describing the portions that were to be allotted to the Levites. He provided completely for them, they had no need. Nor do we who call ourselves His. What an inheritance.

Beautiful Church Sign

There is a church sign in Gainesville, Florida that is a brilliant piece of artistic and symbolic worship. It is a simple, modest, woodent church sign with plain white letters reading Harvest Christian Church. You would never notice it and may never have seen it before. But night time and headlights reveal its subliminal message. There are reflectors placed on the letters C-H-R-I-S-T so that when you drive by at night, the word "CHRIST" is all you see. And isn't that how it's supposed to be? Shouldn't Christ be what's illuminated in our church rather than the church itself?

It is a thoughtful piece of artistic worship that can be found on 34th Street as you head to 441. Next time you drive by it, flash your lights and see for yourself.

Lomography

Lomography is a movement of people seeking to get back in touch with the roots of photography by using film to gain the effects that are now being recreated by instagram and various photo editing applications.

Call it a fad, call me a hipster; I don't care. Last year I tried my hand at pinhole photography and really enjoyed the process of making my own camera and then playing with exposures, shutters, frames, and manipulation of film. So now I'm playing around with 35mm toy cameras, 110 film cameras, and Polaroids.

So why do it when you can get the same, if not better, effects by using an iphone app? Because anyone can use an app, but there's something about creating something with your own hands. It's no longer about the quickness with which you can take a photograph, alter it to your liking, and post it for the world to see; it's about the patience and the mystery of not knowing what it'll look like. In a fast-food culture, it's nice to slow down and submit yourself to waiting.

Round 1 involved a 35mm point and shoot camera with a fixed focus 28mm lens. It has the "First Union" bank seal on the back so it was probably some cheap as give-away. Years later I find it in a 99 cent bin and badabing, score for me! It was broken and I took it all apart and fixed it. (A fact I'm very proud of). So here are some of my favorites from the first round of pictures from this camera.

 

 

Thought for the Day

God is not a guest, He lives here. He lives in us and yet sometimes we treat Him as a guest; telling Him when He is welcome and closing the door when He's not. As if He should be invited in His own home. Some way to treat an owner. He did, afterall, purchase us. Let Him have His way with the place. Let Him remodel, restore, knock down walls and rebuild; let Him make it His own.