24th Sep 2009
Song of Songs (The Kutchers) — Essence of Social Media Portrait
Presenting and introducing the first Essence of Social Media Portraits in playlet tweet style featuring Demi Moore and Ashton Kutcher in Song of Songs (The Kutchers).
Song of Songs is the Bible’s love song. While it has deep religious and spiritual meaning, on the surface it can be understood as romantic and even erotic poetry.
Song of Songs is attributed to Solomon, with religious scholars differing whether it was indeed written by Solomon or for him, much of the descriptions and references fit that time.
The portraits of Ashton Kutcher and Demi Moore Kutcher actually began with the idea for the artwork pictured here, Song of Songs (The Kutchers)
In my Essence Portrait series artworks are named after their essence: their strokes, while the manifestation from those strokes- the name of the person imaged by the portrait — is in parenthesizes in the title. An example of this concept using simple chemistry would be: H2O (Water) . However, my strokes are the original words (Torah font letters- phonic, binary, alphanumeric symbols) from the Bible that symbolize the strings of elementary physics. Unlike elements, the strings (and words of God, such as, “Let there be light”, that create the physical universe are so small they are scientifically understood as energy or pre-matter.
Their basic portraits of Ashton and Demi Moore Kutcher have appeared in recent previously blogs, where images some of the colorful variations I am creating of them are presented. These images also appear in a private video about the Essence Portraits , which in time will be changed a bit, added to, and become public.
But from the first stroke, we were always heading to dual portrait about the Song of Songs . These basic Essence Portraits of both Ashton and Demi Moore Kutcher are created using the original Torah font letters from Song of Songs for all of the strokes.
Song of Songs (The Kutchers), 2009, by Judy Rey Wasserman
In both Jewish and Christian traditions and theologies the Song of Songs also refers to the union of The Divine (please substitute your most meaningful name for my term “The Divine”) and humankind (or followers/observant people).
The heavenly bridegroom takes his beloved earthly bride in a sacred union. Their relationship is one of lovers, mutual, interactive and even exclusive.
Like Adam in the Bible, Ashton’s was created first and Demi’s Essence Portrait followed. Partially this was due to Demi Moore Kutcher’s fabulous hair, which I knew would take a long time to create tiny letter upon letter. I spent a lot of time lost in both the beauty of the text and the lovely Mrs. Kutcher.
Since the Kutchers are actors, and used to wearing make-up that alters their appearance, I used some of the words and texts a bit like make up to create their Essence Portraits. This is the first time I have done this.
The Hebrew of Song of Songs 7:11 is fairly visible in the left hand side of the image of Demi Moore Kutcher. The English translation from the KJV is; “I am my beloved’s and his desire is toward me”. Her necklace is a repeated chain of four letters that mean “the beloved”.
In both portraits a form of the word beloved is found just under the lower lip, where a shadow normally appears, as if each person had just whispered an endearment of the other.
There is art history and significance in this artwork, which might go unrecognized by a casual observer.
First, the work resembles a Social Media message, such as a tweet. However a tweet is a form of common social interaction, so while each portrait can stand alone, here they are combined into one image.
As an artist I find it wonderfully expressive of the “eternal dance” of lovers in that each is separate and apart—an individual in a unique Tweet of space. Yet these can join together to form a whole that is not only meaningful for them, the lovers, but for the onlookers, as we represent society.
The Tweet proportions were purposefully altered to show more of the Essence Portraits—the faces—and less length of the short message.
The work combines Post Conceptual Art, specifically the branch of UnGraven Image with Conceptual art, especially word art with a kind of realism as Social Media messages are real visual things.
Since the Renaissance, Western artists have placed participants in biblical or mythological scenes within the physical context and realities of their own times. Giotto, Fra Angelico, Da Vinci, Rembrandt painted scenes from the Bible taking place in the architectural surroundings by people wearing the fashion of their times. They even used images of people who were well known at the time, often patrons, in some of the scenes, rather than models.
While on one level the Song of Songs (Kutcher) artwork is a present day Essence Portrait of two real people, on another significant level these noted actors are portraying the eternal and sacred lovers from Song of Songs. It is biblical scene in our contemporary setting of social media.
The @Names in the portrait messages do not use the names the Kutchers use on Twitter since neither actually tweeted the message and this clarifies that it is an artwork not a screenshot. However, I came close to the font colors each uses on their Twitter Profile page for the @Names.
While a thin black band separates the two “tweets” they two are surrounded by a thin red “frame” That frame is a part of the united portrait of the couple.
Both Ashton Kutcher and Demi Moore Kutcher wear the red string from the Kabbalah center on their left wrists. The idea is that the left hand is receptive hand while the right is the action and giving hand. The red string’s purpose is to protect against evil from outside influences coming into one’s life.
Here I use the red “frame” the way I use gold frames of prayer in the Genesis: Sunset-Sunrise series, as both a kind of protection but also as a reminder and as a communication reaching out to the universe. That red string around a wrist also reminds the wearer to avoid letting in any bad influences: to be careful where one goes, what one sees and does—ideas found in another Biblical book attributed to Solomon: Proverbs.
The red band has another visual Biblical reference: the red blood of the lamb covering the doorposts of the Israelites during their first Passover Seder. Like a left hand, that door was an entrance where others could enter. So my red frame symbolizes a home that safely encircles the lovers.
Christians also have a similar custom that stems from the basic understanding. They often pray for protection asking for the blood of Jesus over their homes, loved ones and themselves.
The thin band of red can also be understood as the remnant of background of a Profile page screenshot, which was cropped
It is especially fitting for the Kutchers to be artistically portrayed in social media setting as they are effectively using it beyond entertainment or socializing to help others and create social change..
Ashton Kutcher challenged CNN, and their representative Larry King to see who could be the first to be followed by one million people. @aplusk’s idea was the winner would give $10, 000 to buy mosquito nets to help end malaria. The ensuing media coverage of the contest raised awareness for eradicating malaria, which is possible. Ashton Kutcher who was the underdog, creatively used UStream to gain a last hour rally becoming the first to have a million followers last spring – but everyone involved really won.
Next, in a conversation that actually began in the Twitter stream Demi Moore was involved in helping a person expressing thoughts of suicide obtain much needed professional help. While @mrskutcher certainly did the right thing, and everything turned out well, becoming publicly involved in the stream was a risky move.
The Kutchers continue top speak out about causes and work for charities through social media. They have already won one award for this, and will no doubt be honored with others.
Of course, the Kutchers also use Twitter and social media to tantalize followers and fans with snippets of their relationship. They post photos of each other, which are often playful. They tweet to and about each other. Like the onlookers in the Song of Songs , we are their witnesses, and better off for it.
This blog was posted a few hours before the Kutchers’ wedding anniversary on September 24, 2009 with prayers and well wishes for their health, happiness and continued success, individually and as a couple.
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The artwork above will be available soon in a small signed limited edition on canvas through my studio and representatives. It will also appear in a show being created featuring Essence Portraits.
The main purpose of the Essence Portrait series is to help us learn to see the Divine in ourselves and others. This is accomplished by more than understanding the concept. By looking at Essence Portraits created with tiny strokes that are the words of The Divine our brains gain much needed visual memories so that it uses to decipher impressions of light into recognizable, usable images. Thus these images actually physically encourage our brains to perceive in a new way.
Essence Portraits of celebrities, especially actors that we have identified with as characters in films, TV and plays further encourages the ability to see The Divine essence in others, and then in ourselves. [For more on the theory of Post Conceptual UnGraven Image Art theory, and how it is a vision we can all share, go to ungravenimage.com. Play the top You Tube video,"Painting with the Big Bang of Genesis". Enjoy the art and information found via the many tabs on the menu. Plus, download the free art manifesto booklet]
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