Painting Exhibition: Dig Up the 6000 Year Old Treasures

July 18, 2014

The artwork created by God should give glory to God. 

J-Artist’s first painting exhibition, “Dig Up the Treasures That Have Been Buried for 6000 Years,” opened on July 18. In the short six days of the exhibition, many people who love art and wise proverbs flooded in. This series of exquisite paintings received an enthusiastic response from those in attendance. 

With self-construction as the topic, they gave thanks to God, the originator and root of art. 

“Alpha” is the first letter of the ancient Greek alphabet; it means “origin” and “beginning.” However, God is the origin and root of art. He will come to us through a body of flesh and blood to spread His wisdom and love. The person, who carries Heaven’s thoughts and leads lives into God’s domain, is Christ.

The sixteen participating artists set “self-construction” as the theme of the exhibition. The paintings conveyed the concept of how unique and valuable each person is, and how we should all learn from God who knows our inner characters the best. God created us; on that foundation, we should live by His Word, achieve self-recreation and make ourselves into life masterpieces.

 When we learn His Word, develop the power of the soul and the spirit and create our minds and bodies, our lives will be like roses in the desert and become valuable treasures. Life is a “self-battle.” When faced with the pressures and tribulations of the world, which stand like tall, upright skyscrapers, those who study the Word and allow “the self to do well” will have God by their side and thus achieve victory together with Him. 

Through the beautiful paintings, the treasures of God’s Words were presented.

This time, the painters did not just paint the artworks, but also acted as exhibition guides. They hoped to thoroughly present to the audience the treasure of the Word, which is hidden within the beautiful paintings. They also wished to convey the original intent behind the creations. In regards to the proverb-paintings, Pastor Jung Myung Seok believes that one shouldn’t just pursue a harmony of colors with the proverb-paintings or just strive to match it to their personal tastes. Rather, it is to paint according to the content of the proverbs. It should not be painted in a way that people cannot understand or in a way that is very abstract. If art is only a means through which people flaunt their radicalism or through which they pursue acclaim, then this kind of aspiration will ultimately leave people feeling empty in the end.

In the past, when the painters had yet to attend church to study the Word, they just painted whatever they wanted. Afterwards, they would even worry whether or not people would like their artwork. Now, however, they are more focused on the pursuit of realizing the fundamentals of art. Their motive for creating art has changed as well. What is more important to them now is utilizing art as a medium through which they pray, create and record the stories of their faith.