Be Fruitful & Multiply

This piece explores the theme of "tension with unity" through the lens of desire. It displays the tension one feels within desire through rich red hues, symbolic images, and Hebrew biblical text. 

The color red is a potent symbol of desire. It's a color that holds a psychological connection to passion and also has a connection to fire, like the fire burning inside someone who is so passionate. I chose to include red in almost every aspect of the piece in order to keep the flow of burning red imagery and passion throughout. 

The image of the female body is used as a symbol of fertility and sexuality but also vulnerability and comfort. In this instance, she can be seen as a representation of fertility, especially against the pomegranate. However, her pose and the cropping of her figure hint that there is a more erotic tone to the piece. She's nude and arching, open, exposed, and vulnerable, just like the pomegranate behind her. This juxtaposition creates a tension between the classical representations of the female body as it's painted in a more erotic style. There are also mini flowers on the bottom right corners of the pomegranate to further provide symbolism of the female body and fertility. 

I chose to incorporate three prominent symbols within the piece, one of them being an opened-up pomegranate fruit. The pomegranate symbolizes fertility, and the dark red color also connects to the theme of desire and passion. However, the pomegranate also has a distinct representation in the Hebrew bible. The 613 seeds within a pomegranate correspond to the 613 "mitzvot" in Judaism. Mitzvot are commandments, and many of them have direct connections to fertility or sexual desires. One of them being "be fruitful and multiply" (Genesis 1:28). The fruit in the piece is a play on the words "be fruitful" as it not only is a fruit but holds a symbolic representation of fertility. The text in gold font is in Hebrew and relays the word "mitzvot" three times to emphasize the significance of these commandments. 

The overarching theme of tension with unity is displayed throughout the piece as something so righteous, like following God's commandments from the Torah, can be seen as profane as a whole.