The Sleeping Bride
How false teaching or clinging to made up belief systems has impoverished congregations in the churches of the UK and the West.
Description:
On the left, the wind—symbolising the activity of the Holy Spirit—blows through an open window, stirring a wedding dress that rests upon a mannequin.
On the right, the young bride-to-be lies asleep, entirely unaware of the Spirit’s attempts to capture her attention.
At the centre stands a recurring motif (see below): an office holder, a person of influence who pauses in the doorway. Emerging from a darkened space, he has lost the ability to see clearly. Even as he surveys the scene before him, he fails to perceive what is truly taking place. Positioned squarely between the stirring on the left and the sleeping bride on the right, his central placement identifies him as a pivotal figure. Yet he is, in truth, the obstacle—making no effort to awaken the bride. Reluctant to disturb the status quo, he avoids alarms and surprises, content that she remains asleep. His gaze is turned away from the signs of the Holy Spirit’s movement. Dressed for labour, he appears ready to continue with what seems right in his own eyes: papering over the cracks of his limited perception.
The bride-to-be has rejected a meal of solid food in favour of a simple glass of milk.
(A motif is a recurring element in art, literature, or music that reinforces a theme and adds depth. While it may carry symbolic meaning, its defining quality is repetition. A similar figure has appeared in one of my earlier paintings.)