Bible reading
When the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was a delight to the eyes, and that the tree was to be desired to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate; and she also gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate. Then the eyes of both were opened … They heard the sound of the Lord God walking in the garden at the time of the evening breeze, and the man and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the Lord God among the trees of the garden. 9 But the Lord God called to the man, and said to him … Have you eaten from the tree of which I commanded you not to eat?” The man said, “The woman whom you gave to be with me, she gave me fruit from the tree, and I ate.” Then the Lord God said to the woman, “What is this that you have done?” The woman said, “The serpent tricked me, and I ate.” (Genesis 3. 6 – 13)
Meditation
I was attracted to the opportunity to show Alexander de Cadenet’s sculptures at St Stephen Walbrook because the Christian scriptures and tradition raise important questions regarding what and how much we consume. Alex’s sculptures draw on the spiritual dimension in life to explore similar questions. The Life-Burger sculptures, in particular, explore the relationship between the spiritual dimension of art and consumerism and, at their root, are an exploration of what gives life meaning. This exhibition therefore provides a space in which profound personal reflection and review can occur.
L.A. art critic Peter Frank has stated that, "We're at a moment in modern history where the excess has gotten staggeringly wretched … For the meta-rich, the world is their fast food joint, and their appetite insatiable." When I interviewed Alex for Artlyst, I asked him why he thought this situation was problematic. He said: “What’s problematic is the desire to consume and accumulate for the sake of it – often to run away from pain or discomfort – beauty and pleasure can at some point become quite warped and grotesque without limits, where even the original value gets lost or diluted within excess. I think it’s become more and more prevalent in the world today.”
His other key work for this show is ‘Creation’ – a large scale shiny bronze apple with three bites taken from it – two adult bites and baby bite in between. This clearly references the second Creation story in the Book of Genesis, where Eve is tempted by the serpent to eat the apple from the Tree of the knowledge of Good and Evil which Adam and Eve had been forbidden to eat. Adam also eats the apple (the second adult bite) but when challenged by God passes the buck to Eve who then puts the blame on the serpent.
The Genesis Creation stories can be read as descriptions of key human tendencies such as our grasping after those things that we have been told we should not have, our willingness to cross boundaries to acquire them and our refusal to accept personal responsibility for our own actions when we are found out. You can see the link between these characteristics and the consumerist desires that are satirized in the ‘Life-Burgers’. The Biblical witness is that these desires characterise every generation. This may be why the baby bite appears in Alex’s ‘Creation’ as indication to these tendencies in future, as well as current, generations.
Yet, Alex has also stated that, “In Genesis, we were told by God not to take a bite from the apple, yet it was by taking a bite that we became ‘self-conscious’ and self-consciousness is what is necessary for making art.” This is also a part of the story as, by eating the apple, Adam and Eve gained knowledge of good and evil. This can be understood in terms of the development of consciousness in human beings which enables us to create, but which also means that our creativity can be used for good or for evil. The creation of luxury goods and of weapons of mass destruction involve considerable creativity on our part, as human beings, but may not have contributed greatly to our own well-being or that of society.
That brings us back, I think, to the possibility that this exhibition may provide a space in which profound personal reflection and review can occur as these sculptures are an exploration of what gives life meaning and purpose. I pray that that may be so and end with an extract from a prayer of Francis Drake, as adapted by Desmond Tutu: Disturb us, O Lord, when with the abundance of things we possess, we have lost our thirst for the water of life when, having fallen in love with time, we have ceased to dream of eternity and in our efforts to build a new earth, we have allowed our vision of Heaven to grow dim. Amen.
Prayers
O God, awaken us to the challenges of this day. Open our eyes to the subtle pervasiveness of consumerism, that we might see our culture, the church, and ourselves in your divine light. Remind us that you are the source of our hope and the giver of all that is good. You alone are worthy of our praise. Bring us to new life, that we might be your people.
Disturb us, O Lord, when with the abundance of things we possess, we have lost our thirst for the water of life.
Jesus, we come before you with the sincere desire to be faithful. Yet we are often misguided and fail to reflect your image in us. We confess we are seduced by the lure of greater wealth and the accumulation of things; help us find true contentment in your presence and your grace. We confess that we are sometimes overwhelmed with the disparity between rich and poor and that we do not know how to respond. Help us to build your kingdom of peace and justice.
Disturb us, O Lord, when with the abundance of things we possess, we have lost our thirst for the water of life.
(https://www.ncchurches.org/lectionary-archive/year-c/materialism-consumerism-proper-13/)
Blessing
Disturb us, O Lord, when with the abundance of things we possess, we have lost our thirst for the water of life when, having fallen in love with time, we have ceased to dream of eternity and in our efforts to build a new earth, we have allowed our vision of Heaven to grow dim. And the blessing of almighty God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, be upon you and remain with you always. Amen.
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Greater Richmond Children's Choir - Prayer of Desmond Tutu.
