Consuming Fire

Description

40 by 30

“Consuming Fire” made in an abstract, neo-contemporary style is the depiction of the Consuming Fire, a detailed meticulously done work that, as Kir explains, is inspired by the Biblical story of the spies, which Kir believes to be one of the most dramatic and illogical stories of the entire Bible.

The work is referring to the story when, after miraculously escaping from Egypt, and after wandering for 12 months in the desert, the 12 tribes of Israel are finally on the banks of the river Jordan, ready to cross into the promised land, and send 12 spies into the land of Canaan to see what awaits them.

The spies are coming back and 10 out of 12 claiming that crossing the river, to occupy the land, would be a suicide mission for Israelites, because Canaanites are powerful and strong. They suggest Israel return back to Egypt or face destruction and annihilation.

The spies advise the return after for 12 months or wondering in the desert, when Almighty provided food, shelter, and protection from the wild beasts and snakes in the desert, performed miracles to convince the Pharaoh to let the Israelites go, and even made the waters of the Red Sea(Sea of Reeds) to split, allowing for a safe passage.

And it is at this point that Moses pleads that God Almighty is the Consuming Fire, and will help Israelites, as He did many times before and that they must, after going through so much pain and suffering, cross the river and complete the mission they set to do despite the possible losses they may face. Yet, the tribes still refuse and that is when they are set for 40 more years of wandering in the desert, until all members of the generation that suggested the return are gone.

In “Consuming Fire,” Kir  sought to encapsulate the ethereal essence of fire as both a transformative Biblical symbol and a philosophical concept. The rendering breathes with an intensity reminiscent of Moses’ encounter with Most High, where the flames both beckon and consume. The artwork ignites introspection, inviting viewers to ponder the paradox of destruction and renewal inherent in fire’s embrace.