Ashani Escoffery
The Beauty of the Divine, 2021
Oil on canvas

The Beauty of the Divine focuses on the holy essence as it shows up within humanity to create a dialogue centered around Christianity. Traditionally, Christianity holds the tenet that God is the higher power, and as humans, we are subordinate to His will, however, my work is meant to call into question the way we view the existence of higher powers and the vessels through which divinity can be communicated. By presenting my holy subject as a woman, I want to challenge archaic models of God and the Holy Trinity as entirely male-presenting when shown in human form. I also want to draw connections to the maternal essence of a Creator and the human creation of life.

This work is part of a series that deals with reimagining the traditional notions of Christianity and shining a light on the many different perspectives with which people can interpret it.