I recently
came across the artistic piece from modern artist, Alex Rietveld, entitled, “Venus
de Biomechanica.” It’s an interpretation of the classic sculpture, “Venus de
Milo.” You know, the statue of a woman with no arms.
Anyway, Rietveld’s
approach for “Venus de Biomechanica” offered a different interpretation of
famous sculpture, probably suggesting the faster paced society in which we live,
placing great importance on manipulating our image. That’s what I saw. This
female form was armless, just like the classic work. However, the more modern
“add-ons” included what looked to me like a gas mask and a machine gun arm
strapped to the statue. And then there was some strange looking headpiece, worn
like a tiara, possibly some monitoring device for the female’s electrode
responses. It was far from the classic Greek form we know both in the art world
and in popular culture today.
So, I checked
out the original Venus.
Indeed, the original classic is breathtaking, carrying
with it a rich history of Greek culture and also controversy. When discovered,
supposedly in the 1800’s, the statue created quite a stir, as immediately,
individuals fought to possess it, (of course). And then there was the matter of
the missing arms and pedestal, also contributing more questions to the actual
artist behind the feminine form.
Since that
time, the Venus de Milo has gotten a lot of attention. In popular culture, she’s
been referenced by the likes of Miles Davis and Chuck Berry in their music, as
well as popping up in such television shows as “The Simpsons” and “Twin Peaks.”
I’ve even seen her as a kitchen magnet and a carved bar of soap. Yep, Venus is
everywhere.
And it’s no
wonder. After all, she was originally regarded, adored and even worshipped as
Aphrodite, “the love goddess,” the epitome of all that is feminine, graceful
and beautiful. Then it should come as no shock that she’s still influential
here and now. And, whether it’s her original form or interpretations like
“Venus de Biomechanica,” something is still not lost on me: the impact of her
arms, or rather, lack of them. My interpretation, as I consider Ms. Venus, is
that her beauty standard has so overshadowed what her arms literally and
figuratively represent: power and ability.
Now, don’t
get me wrong, I love Venus; she’s still one of my favorites. I just can’t help
but note the attention she garners, in spite of her missing limbs. And, yes, I
admit to being biased. Because of the filter of eating disorder experiences,
one which I’ve now come to view matters of image, beauty and power, I read something
more with her. The missing arms, to me, register as representing powerlessness,
both emanating from and co-existing with
her emphasized physical beauty. No
matter what we may espouse concerning intellect, character, kindness and all
manner of “inner beauty,” we still have rampant eating disorders, diets and
plastic surgery going on in our world today. It seems everyone wants to be
eternally young, beautiful, thin and perfect.
I remember
years ago, coming across a study in which a group of children were given the
choice between being overweight or losing their limbs. Overwhelmingly, the
majority of these children chose to lose their limbs instead of enduring the
stigma which comes from the dreaded “f” word: “fat.”
Is that the
message we want to communicate, however, when we depict beauty? Beauty at all cost? Obtain beauty, to the
exclusion of more important things? Beauty needs to be achieved, even employing
harmful methods?
And that
leads me back, again, to “Venus de Biomechanica.” As I mentioned earlier, this
piece seemed to concentrate on the more modern add-on elements concerning the beauty
aesthetic. Whether it’s the machine gun arm, the gas mask or that electrode
gathering looking headpiece, there seems to be a message stressing the
importance of manipulating what is already beautiful in each of us, to conform
to society’s standard of beauty. And, then, once you do such a thing, you become
armless/powerless. But that’s of no matter. Because, after all, you’re still
considered beautiful according to society’s definition of beauty.
And that’s
all that counts, right?
I have
repeatedly referenced scriptures on idolatry and image in my writing and in my
speaking engagements. I know I probably sound like a broken record. But I continue
to see just how consumed we are in today’s society with that subject matter.
God seems to think the issue is worth paying attention to. There doesn’t seem
to be much which has changed from the time of ancient scripture to now. The
“Greek” attitude to idolatry still exists.
“Now while Paul waited for them at Athens, his spirit was stirred in him,
when he saw the city wholly given to idolatry.”
Acts 17:16
But the
instruction to this heart attitude also still exists.
“Little children, keep yourselves from idols. Amen.”
1 John 5:21
A statue is
just a statue. In and of itself, it cannot do anything positive for us.
“What profiteth the graven image that
the maker thereof hath graven it; the molten image, and a teacher of lies, that
the maker of his work trusteth therein, to make dumb idols? Woe unto him that
saith to the wood, Awake; to the dumb stone, Arise, it shall teach! Behold, it
is laid over with gold and silver, and there is no breath at all in the midst
of it.”
Habakkuk 2:18-19
It is a dumb
idol, no matter how beautiful it may
be.
If our hearts
get caught up in it as representing something “God-like,” however, then we have
a big problem; then it becomes harmful to our souls. Let’s not forget a pretty
hefty commandment:
“Thou shalt have no other gods before me.”
Exodus 20:3
God doesn’t
give us this commandment because He wishes to take away our joy and fun in
life. No, instead, He knows the harm which comes from idolatry, getting our
hopes pinned on something which will only fail and disappoint us in the end. It
detracts from us living a fulfilling life and distracting us from engaging in a
real relationship with a loving God and Father.
“Howbeit there is not in every man that knowledge: for some with
conscience of the idol unto this hour eat it as a thing offered unto an idol;
and their conscience being weak is defiled.”
1 Corinthians 8:7
We give our
strength and ourselves to something which will one day vanish. As wonderful as
the “Venus de Milo” is, one day she will
crumble. One day, youth will fade. One day, our “permanent solutions” will fail
us.
So, why,
exactly, do we try to conform to something which is not God? When that conforming fails us, then what?
“And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the
renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and
perfect, will of God.”
Romans 12:2
God has not
called us to be crafted after a powerless image. Scripture tells us…
“For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and
of love, and of a sound mind.”
2 Timothy 1:7
But it’s
based on His Image, not anyone or
anything else’s image.
“So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him;
male and female created he them.”
Genesis 1:27
Can we dare to bravely pursue that concept?
Can we dare to pursue God? Our
decision could determine between the powerful and the powerless result.
Let’s find
our arms and our God-given power in Him! Leave the statue, the manufactured/ manipulated
image alone! We are more than any
Venus!
So, let’s be
“armed” with who God has created us to be!
Copyright © 2015 by
Sheryle Cruse
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