Description:
Agape
A·gape
adjective or adverb
ə-ˈgāp also -ˈgap
: (of the mouth) wide open; GAPING
: being in a state of wonder
agape, Greek agapē,
noun
ä-ˈgä-(ˌ)pā ˈä-gə-ˌpā
: in the New Testament, divine reciprocal love between God and humans. In Scripture, the transcendent agape love is the highest form of love
: LOVE FEAST
Definitions synthesized from Oxford and Merriam-Webster dictionaries
Artist’s Statement
The agape feast, or lovefeast, is a tradition originating with early Christians in which people gather for fellowship and a ritual meal, as Jesus did with his disciples—his chosen family. This early Christian tradition is the basis for the contemporary sacrament of Communion. Some sects of modern Christianity believe that when the bread and wine are blessed in the sacrament of communion, they literally become Christ’s flesh and blood, leaving only the appearance of their original forms. This phenomenon is called “transubstantiation.” As a transgender person who grew up in the faith, I find this idea to be a compelling metaphor for transition, and the divine power of embodying one’s beliefs. It represents the idea that through our collective faith in our shared truth, we are transformed.
The date of my senior thesis exhibition’s opening miraculously coincided with periods of widespread observance, celebration, and gathering in all three major Abrahamic religions: Passover, Ramadan, and Holy Week. It also fell under the influence of the Full Moon in Libra, known to the Anishnaabeg people as Popogami Giizis (Poh-poh-gah-mi), or Broken Snowshoe Moon. During these holy days, folks around the world reflect on liberation, remember the struggles and triumphs of our predecessors, and dare to imagine and cultivate hope for the future. Guests were invited to gather around this table in fellowship, to revel in the miracle of our senses, and after the sunset at 7:27, to eat and drink as they feel called.
Medium:
Dining Table: cherry, maple, and ash woods, handmade earthenware, second-hand glassware
Altar Table: maple and ash woods, elements from my personal altar table, including handmade book with lasercut lacewood, monoprint, and relief on paper
Date:
April 14, 2023
Location:
“Blood from Stone” Group exhibition at the Baron Gallery
Oberlin, Ohio
Beaux Watwood 