Sex and love in the Bible – exhibition tackles often taboo subject through images and words
THE OFTEN taboo subject of sex and love in the Bible is being addressed in the form of a photographic exhibition to be shown in September.
‘A Clarion Call’ is a story based around the ‘Song of Songs’ – a series of Hebrew poems that celebrate the joy of love. It can be interpreted as telling the tale of two betrothed lovers who are separated when the girl is sold into the King’s harem by her bothers.
The exhibition is being held by Arwyn Bailey, who chose the potentially controversial subject which he describes as ‘an age old tale of fidelity, truth and love’.
He said: “The reason for the exhibition and the thinking behind it is that it is one of the most challenging topics we can address within the faith arena because essentially it’s about the fulfilment of sex, which is often seen as a taboo subject.
“However, in Hebrew, this book is full of allusions to sex in these beautiful poems. I wanted to debunk the prudish view that this sensitive book is about Christ and the Church, or of the relationship between God and Yisrael. This is highly unlikely as God is mentioned just once in the 117 short verses – it’s mostly about a heck of a lot of desire, love and yes, sex!”
He added: “An interesting aside is that Jewish men were not permitted to read this book, unless they were over the age of 30, and even then, only when married.”
The format of the exhibition depicts the story of the girl’s struggle to escape and avoid the attentions of the King. After failed attempts, she flees the palace and is reunited with her lover. The photographs show the stages of the story, with snippets of the book underneath each image.
Arwyn added: “An exhibition of this type could be seen as controversial, but I wanted to take this ‘controversial’ subject and treat it as raw as possible without resorting to tack or pornography. I wanted to display sex as a gift from God, the basis of the beginning of life created in a loving act. It is a big challenge for a first exhibition but I wanted a challenge due to what I have been through myself.”
Arwyn’s background in itself has been a challenge on several fronts, which at one point nearly made him take his own life.
He was diagnosed with bladder cancer at the age of 36 and was hospitalised 13 years later due to contracting Diverticulitis.
After this he was diagnosed with Type 2 Diabetes and the bladder cancer returned in December 2011 at the age of 49. He received the all clear in the spring of 2012 and currently undergoes three month checks.
Tragedy struck the family last April when Arwyn’s elder brother committed suicide.
By this time, Arwyn’s mother – who was registered blind – was in a care home and Arwyn had to tell her that her son had killed himself with his youngest sister and her partner by his side.
On top of all of this, Arwyn then contracted a bronchial condition and had scar tissue on his left lung. This was diagnosed around July 2012. He continues to suffer from gradual hearing loss and extreme bouts of tinnitus.
Last September, Arwyn’s mother suffered a massive stroke and he was told she would never recover. As his mother’s Attorney, and with the agreement of the family, he made the painful decision to withhold both food and water. He has realised since that this was the controversial ‘Liverpool Care Pathway’ and with the rest of the family, he essentially watched his mother die over the course of ten days.
Due to this overload of tragedy and personal events, Arwyn decided to take the decision to end his successful business of more than 18 years, as an Independent Financial Adviser. He described this as a “difficult, painful and unwise economical decision.”
“This exhibition shows that determination to overcome adversity is possible. The raw expression that love can overcome any barriers which are sometimes thrown at us – and I know all about such brutality of life to the extent that I almost took my own life at one very low point in August 2012.
“I am determined to show that an inherent belief in love from one to another can literally raise anyone from an almost literal death, to life.”
The exhibition will be held at the Rhubarb and Custard Gallery in Eton for the duration of September, opening on Monday September 1st. Opening times are from 9.30am to 5.00pm.
A formal launch of the exhibition is being held on Friday September 6th, from 4.30 pm. Please contact Salli, at the gallery for press passes
A book explaining the story alongside the pictures with more photographs displayed inside will also be available.