Jeena Ann K. '28 Secures Gold Key Award in Scholastic Art Awards
Congratulations to Jeena Ann K. '28 on winning a Gold Key Award in the Connecticut Regional Scholastic Art Awards! Marianapolis is so proud of Jeena Ann's accomplishment and is thrilled to celebrate her talent! Her piece, "Miracle at the Wedding in Cana," is a beautiful depiction of this significant moment in Jesus' ministry. Here is her written statement that accompanies her artwork:
"Miracle at the Wedding in Cana" is my painting depicting the first official miracle in the Bible, where Jesus turns pots of water into wine. Although most Christian art is painted as if Jesus were white, I believe that if Christian religious traditions say that we were all created in God's image, then we can depict Him in our image. Therefore, I have painted this in the South Indian art style known as Kerala Mural Art. Kerala Mural Art is known as Panchavarna or "5 colors" because it traditionally only uses 5 colors: red, orange, green, blue, and black. (The style also uses white but that is not really considered a color.) Even though the art form does allow the use of blue, blue is typically used only for smaller items, like clothing, water, or the skin of Krishna, a Hindu deity. Instead of blue, in Kerala Mural Art, the sky is often painted using red. However, due to the fact that everything else in the painting is also red, I took the creative liberty to paint the sky blue, as it did not impact the message of inclusion within the painting. While there have been a few Kerala Mural artists who have depicted Biblical scenes, they have all deviated from tradition and the 5-color rule solely to paint Jesus and other holy figures as white with light hair and often beards. Additionally, these artists have chosen to not give Jesus and other holy figures traditionally Indian clothes, opting for more classic Roman garments. Furthermore, they often neglect to give divine or incredibly holy individuals jewelry, which is a sign of divinity and holiness in Kerala Mural Art. This westernization implies that Indian culture is not compatible with Christianity, or even worse, that white people are superior to Indians. Therefore, to create a new narrative through my art, I took note to depict Jesus and Mary with traditional long, curly, black hair, orange skin (as is custom), Indian clothing, and copious amounts of jewelry. I also took care to weave in traditional motifs and symbolism, such as the layered design of the jewelry. In addition, I drew Jesus with his hand in a specific position that means that He is blessing those around Him. Furthermore, I painted a cross on Jesus' forehead, as there is a saying in my home language, Tamil, that your fate is written on your forehead, and Jesus's fate was death on a cross. On Mary’s forehead, I have painted a Bindi, as that is a common adornment for Indian women. Moreover, I drew the servant sitting on a “mooda,” which is a traditional Indian woven chair that is often used during gatherings. Finally, I painted Jesus and Mary sitting on the floor while eating their Indian feast, specifically rice, vegetable curry, and a sweet known as ladoo. Rather than using a plate, they eat off of banana leaves and use their hands in lieu of utensils, both of which are common at South Indian weddings. My objective is to integrate Christian faith with South Indian culture and demonstrate that the religion can be portrayed through the channels of any culture. This way, Indian Christians all over the world can be proud of who they are.
"Miracle at the Wedding in Cana" is my painting depicting the first official miracle in the Bible, where Jesus turns pots of water into wine. Although most Christian art is painted as if Jesus were white, I believe that if Christian religious traditions say that we were all created in God's image, then we can depict Him in our image. Therefore, I have painted this in the South Indian art style known as Kerala Mural Art. Kerala Mural Art is known as Panchavarna or "5 colors" because it traditionally only uses 5 colors: red, orange, green, blue, and black. (The style also uses white but that is not really considered a color.) Even though the art form does allow the use of blue, blue is typically used only for smaller items, like clothing, water, or the skin of Krishna, a Hindu deity. Instead of blue, in Kerala Mural Art, the sky is often painted using red. However, due to the fact that everything else in the painting is also red, I took the creative liberty to paint the sky blue, as it did not impact the message of inclusion within the painting. While there have been a few Kerala Mural artists who have depicted Biblical scenes, they have all deviated from tradition and the 5-color rule solely to paint Jesus and other holy figures as white with light hair and often beards. Additionally, these artists have chosen to not give Jesus and other holy figures traditionally Indian clothes, opting for more classic Roman garments. Furthermore, they often neglect to give divine or incredibly holy individuals jewelry, which is a sign of divinity and holiness in Kerala Mural Art. This westernization implies that Indian culture is not compatible with Christianity, or even worse, that white people are superior to Indians. Therefore, to create a new narrative through my art, I took note to depict Jesus and Mary with traditional long, curly, black hair, orange skin (as is custom), Indian clothing, and copious amounts of jewelry. I also took care to weave in traditional motifs and symbolism, such as the layered design of the jewelry. In addition, I drew Jesus with his hand in a specific position that means that He is blessing those around Him. Furthermore, I painted a cross on Jesus' forehead, as there is a saying in my home language, Tamil, that your fate is written on your forehead, and Jesus's fate was death on a cross. On Mary’s forehead, I have painted a Bindi, as that is a common adornment for Indian women. Moreover, I drew the servant sitting on a “mooda,” which is a traditional Indian woven chair that is often used during gatherings. Finally, I painted Jesus and Mary sitting on the floor while eating their Indian feast, specifically rice, vegetable curry, and a sweet known as ladoo. Rather than using a plate, they eat off of banana leaves and use their hands in lieu of utensils, both of which are common at South Indian weddings. My objective is to integrate Christian faith with South Indian culture and demonstrate that the religion can be portrayed through the channels of any culture. This way, Indian Christians all over the world can be proud of who they are.