Subject:
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Re: The Brick Testament: Judge Deborah
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Newsgroups:
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lugnet.build.ancient
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Date:
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Fri, 8 Apr 2005 01:21:15 GMT
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Viewed:
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6242 times
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Hi, Felix.
In lugnet.build.ancient, Felix Greco wrote:
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I don’t reply each time you announce, but I always look forward to each new
chapter you produce.
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That’s really nice to hear, thanks. It’s great to hear that sort of thing from
anyone, but it’s extra special to hear that from someone whose MOCs really stand
out from the crowd for their originality and artistry. So first let me just
return the compliment and say that, even if I haven’t taken the time to comment
on individual your MOCs, I’m a big fan and always look forward to the next
creation you share with the rest of us.
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I always share with friends and family- sometimes it
leads to a laugh and sometimes a deep discussion. But the quality of
photography and building is always appreciated, even by non-AFOLs.
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It’s sometimes surprising to me that The Brick Testament is one of only a few
AFOL projects that has gained significant notoriety and appreciation outside the
LEGO fan community. I have to imagine that this is in very large part due to my
choice of subject matter being so attention grabbing and widely appealing. But
I do hope that’s not the only reason, and that while the subject matter may get
people to take a look at The Brick Testament in the first place, other factors
like my building and photography skills, my policies of strict adherence to the
scriptures, and my illustrating these stories with a sense of humor are
qualities that keep people’s interest long enough to read through the stories
and come back for more, and that these are qualities which would set The Brick
Testament apart, even if there were other AFOLs churning out illustrated Bible
stories.
It is heartening to hear that your friends and family get a laugh out of each
new addition, and at the same time the illustrations can provoke some thoughtful
reflection and discussion.
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I have been asked at times what you’re trying to accomplish. I usually tell
them: “He’s challenging the very polished and pristine view of faith a lot of
people take to be their religion.
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I’m not sure I would bring in the word “faith” here, but I certainly do think my
illustrated stories can challenge people’s pristine view of The Bible. I think
a lot of people form opinions about that book, or at least have certain
associations about it, without ever having read it, and being largely ignorant
of the bulk of its contents. I know that this was certainly the case for me
until I actually read the Bible through and through. It was not what I had
expected at all. And after getting over the surprise (sometimes shock) of the
lurid nature of so many Bible stories, and the way it presents God, what struck
me next was the seemingly very significant disconnect between most modern
believers’ conceptions of God and the picture of God that is laid out in the
book that most would claim is the basis for their beliefs about God.
So I would say, yes, The Brick Testament is meant both to amuse and to challenge
people to think about the contents of the book so many people base their
religious beliefs on.
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He potrays a lot of stories many would like to gloss over or explain away.
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True, although what I think a lot of people don’t have a good sense of (until
they read the Bible themselves or view the whole Brick Testament) is just how
much of The Bible could be grouped under that umbrella description. The scary
thing is, I think the answer is most of the Bible.
In illustrating, I work from the presumption that all parts of the Bible are
equally important. But since certain small sections of the Bible are the ones
that have traditionally been most often illustrated in books, repeated in
sermons, or quoted in conversation, I have gravitated less toward these
“over-exposed” parts of The Bible, and more toward the giant swaths of The Bible
that are routinely ignored, glossed over, or explained away, in an attempt to
restore their stature as equally important to respresenting The Bible as a
whole.
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The fact that he does it in LEGO makes it all the more poignant.
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I can see that this would be the case for AFOLs like yourself and me, but I’m
curious why you think non-AFOLs would find Bible illustrations done in LEGO to
be all the more poignant.
In my mind, there is a parallel between people’s mental associations about The
Bible and about LEGO. Both are associated with childhood, one as a fondly
remembered toy, the other as stories they would hear about in Sunday School.
And I think a lot of people associate both with feelings of purity and goodness.
Just as many think of LEGO as a non-violent (and perhaps educational) toy, many
think of the Bible as an antidote to violence in the world, and a source for
good and decent techings. And even though people may be aware that LEGO figures
might carry swords or be policemen, and they might be similarly vaguely aware
that The Bible contains some not-so-wholesome content somewhere in there, the
predominent mental association people have with LEGO is the smiley face of the
minifigure, and the primary mental association people have of the Bible is one
of a loving God.
So my guess as to the added poignancy comes from the parallel surprise (yes,
sometimes shock) of seeing the very unwholesome parts of The Bible enacted my
these cute little plastic figurines who nobody ever thought would hack each
other to pieces or do anything sexual.
But besides all that, there’s the simple fact that...
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building bible stories in LEGO is just cool for its own sake.”
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That probably accounts for most of it. :)
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Perhaps I’m off. Or perhaps, as in most arts, this is
what I take away and each person has their own interpretation.
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I’ll be the first to admit that different people take away different things from
The Brick Testament. The very devout believers tend not to see these
illustrated stories as any sort of challenge to their beliefes, and just
appreciate that they are presented in LEGO and are faithful to the original
stories. Ardent atheists tend to see The Brick Testament as an illustrated
laundry list of reasons they find The Bible completely unbelievable or a
terrible moral guide.
But as long as people are amused by the illustrations and come away with an
increased knowledge of the content of the Bible, I think The Brick Testament has
accomplished what I set out to do. The decisions people make about their faith
and religious beliefs after having viewed The Brick Testament is up to them, but
I think they will be in a position to make a better informed decision.
Thanks, Felix.
-Brendan
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Message has 1 Reply:
 | | Re: The Brick Testament: Judge Deborah
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| (...) I say this because its the same reason I attempted a more artistic direction with lego rather than another medium. The shapes, textures, and colors invoke immediate feelings in an observer. So this can be used as a spring board to communicate (...) (20 years ago, 8-Apr-05, to lugnet.build.ancient, FTX)
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Message is in Reply To:
| | Re: The Brick Testament: Judge Deborah
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| In lugnet.announce.moc, Brendan Powell Smith wrote: (2 URLs) I don't reply each time you announce, but I always look forward to each new chapter you produce. I always share with friends and family- sometimes it leads to a laugh and sometimes a deep (...) (20 years ago, 7-Apr-05, to lugnet.build.ancient, FTX)
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