The Six Ways (Not Days) of Creation
ששת דרכי (לא ימי) הבריאה
Mixed media, with Nancy Chinn, 1990
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From right to left, each of five lucite shelves tells an aspect of creation: Creation by Tradition, by Revelation, by History, and by Healing. The fifth, a base for the other four, is Creation by means of the feminine. The Divine Presence of the Shekhina canopies the entire unit whose legs (the sixth presence) emerge from the earth dancing.
Observations: In Tradition, screens placed in front of texts teach that one must peel away layers to access basic meaning. Ironically the root of p'shat which means "plain meaning" really means to strip away. In Revelation, God’s light is refracted in many ways. History is marked by artifacts of nature and civilization, as well as chance. Healing reflects Jacob’s surgery, November 1990, and incorporates four forms of heart as well as love messages from grandchildren; the Feminine has four aspects: the closed/untried risk, maternal, sexual and timeless aspects.
Reflections, 2004. Had it not been for Nancy's presence I, a naïve beginner, would not have undertaken such an ambitious project. It was destined not to survive the move to Israel. If I hadn't lost the legs in one of the transit airports, I might have had the courage to re-invent it. But with the Shekhina's dancing legs gone, I had no spirit for it.