There are many stories about the chosen one. We love those stories because they are ultimately about heroism, the chosen one battling and overcoming evil. The chosen one, destined for greatness, destined to do great things. But where there is a chosen one, there is usually an unchosen one, or unchosen ones. The one who is passed over. Overlooked. Not quite good enough, for various reasons, to become the chosen one. Somehow, they are lacking in some way to undertake the destiny of the chosen.
The Bible is full of stories about the chosen. Israel is a chosen nation, set apart by God. But within the stories of the chosen people of God lie the stories of the ones in the margins, the ones close in proximity to the chosen people but are themselves unchosen. Hagar is one such person, serving as a maid to Sarai, the future mother of Isaac, the chosen one, the future mother of the nation of Israel. Sarai has been chosen by God to be the mother of a great nation, even though she is barren. In reading Genesis 16 and 21, at first, it seems Hagar is thrown into this story where the primary actors are God, Abram and Sarai. It has always felt to me as though Hagar was used and thrown aside. She is the unchosen.
Or is she?
As I began to dig around about Hagar, I discovered other stories of Hagar than the ones in the Bible that I’d grown up hearing and found that the stories changed depending on who was telling the story.
I also realized that the story of Hagar is so closely tied to the story of Sarai/Sarah that I couldn’t separate one woman’s story from the other.
So, to honor both women, I have decided to create a diptych. Rather than presenting you with one painting in July and the other painting in August, I will use July to share the backstories of both women and present the diptych in August.
Here is an initial, very bare minimum, sketch of the diptych:
For my paid subscribers, since I will be working on the paintings together, side by side, I will share the process video of both in August.
If you’d like to read the sections of the Bible that I will be focusing on primarily, please find the links below:
I would love to hear your thoughts about these passages and the story of Hagar and Sarai/Sarah. And if you have any insights into these women, please do share! I would love to hear what you all might have discovered.
On a personal note, I’m thrilled to be able to share with you that I’m a recipient of a #LiveArtsBoston 2021 grant from The Boston Foundation! I share this news with you because the performance art that I will create with this grant is about telling the stories of women we don’t often hear from, told through spoken word, dance, and visual art, all inspired by 강강술래 Ganggangsullae, a traditional Korean dance form that women danced under a full moon. I hope to share more with you as this comes together.
Enjoy your weekend!
I'm looking forward to this upcoming Moulting No. 4&5. When I think of Hagar, I think of one of my favorite verse: "You are the God who sees."" (I have to look up the actual verse in Genesis. Only some translation say it this way.) Sometimes it's good for me to remember that God sees me, even when I'm invisible to everyone else. I see Hagar as a victim used and abused until God comes to meet with her.
I'm thankful for "a God who sees."
Thank you for creating and sharing!
Congratulations on the award! Love that you can continue to create these stories.