Refracting Infinity

 

Josh Tiessen

 

Josh Tiessen, Refracting Infinity (2021), Oil on braced Baltic birch, 24" x 36".

In Refracting Infinity, the viewer encounters a mystical figure peering through a gothic-shaped window. The figure, who represents the Teacher from Ecclesiastes, is overlaid with a sunflower, Indigo Buntings, and crisscrossed string. These symbolic elements of God’s intelligent design of the universe are juxtaposed against humanity’s doubt, as represented by the Teacher.

Josh Tiessen writes:
“Refracting Infinity is a musing on the nature of truth, doubt, and apprehending God's design through general revelation. The figure in my painting, Qohelet, is an artistic interpretation of the Teacher (Hebrew: Qohelet) in Ecclesiastes. This painting is an example of how imagination can play a central role in grappling with biblical texts and showing their relevance for today. In an age of rampant nihilism and skepticism, I believe this painting provides an honest investigation of truth that can lead to hope and meaning.

“‘Vanity of vanities; all is vanity’ [i]. The philosophical musings of Qohelet, an ancient teacher in the Jewish wisdom tradition, warn that the pursuit of knowledge, wealth, and all pleasures under the sun is nothing more than a vapor. The figure in my painting, whose silhouette is reflected in the window, represents Qohelet. He is a disenchanted wanderer in a world of smoke and mirrors, pondering the question ‘What is the cure to the banality of existence?’

“Similarly, the French mathematician and physicist Blaise Pascal described the predicament of being caught in the despair of human existence: ‘On all sides I behold nothing but infinity, in which I am a mere atom, a mere passing shadow that returns no more’ [ii].

“Although I have a limited grasp of complex scientific theories, I find it intriguing to visually incorporate scientific concepts. I have depicted the idea of string theory (that at the subatomic level all of life is interconnected through vibrating strings of energy) by the criss-crossing yarn inside the window, which two Indigo Buntings are weaving into a nest. For me, sketching and painting are much like mind-mapping, a non-linear approach of connecting the dots between seemingly disparate reference points, as utilized by John Nash in A Beautiful Mind.

“I have always been fascinated by the ‘golden ratio’ spirals of sunflower florets. The Fibonacci sequence of spiral growth is a cosmic constant, from the nautilus to galaxies [iii]. Here, I was inspired by van Gogh’s whimsical sunflowers. Despite his life of sorrow he saw glimpses of the Divine through nature, and this resonates deeply with me.

“While some deem life as absurd and having no objective meaning, I am not satisfied with that answer. I prefer to press into the mystery, the artistic design in science evoking in me both wonder and desire for a world re-enchanted [iv].”

[i] Ecclesiastes 1:2
[ii] Pascal, Pensées.
[iii] Boeyens & Thackery, South African Journal of Science.
[iv] Articulated by Charles Taylor in A Secular Age.

 

Additional Information & Resources

 

Josh Tiessen

Josh Tiessen is an international award-winning contemporary artist based near Toronto, Ontario, Canada. His hyperreal shaped oil paintings, which take up to 1,700 hours to complete, reflect the interaction between the natural world and human cultures. He has been mentored by master artists, and in 2020, graduated with a Bachelor of Religious Education in Arts, Biblical Studies, and Philosophy.

In addition to painting and writing, Josh enjoys the waterfront trail of Lake Ontario and hiking trails across the Niagara Escarpment, often spotting his favorite bird, the Barn Swallow.


 
2021Anselm Society