More Than Material Art Show Virtual Tour

"Winning And Losing" by Shane Christopher Mahon
Mixed Media

Artist Statement

At that moment they heard from behind them a loud noise-a great cracking, deafening noise as if a giant had broken a giant's plate.... The Stone Table was broken into two pieces by a great crack that ran down it from end to end; and there was no Aslan.

"Who's done it?" cried Susan. "What does it mean? Is it more magic?"

"Yes!" said a great voice from behind their backs. "It is more magic." They looked round. There, shining in the sunrise, larger than they had seen him before, shaking his mane (for it had apparently grown again) stood Aslan himself.

"Oh, Aslan!" cried both the children, staring up at him, almost as much frightened as they were glad ....

"But what does it all mean?" asked Susan when they were somewhat calmer.

"It means," said Aslan, "that though the Witch knew the Deep Magic, there is a magic deeper still which she did not know. Her knowledge goes back only to the dawn of time. But if she could have looked a little further back, into the stillness and the darkness before Time dawned, she would have read there a different incantation. She would have known that when a willing victim who had committed no treachery was killed in a traitor's stead, the Table. would crack and Death itself would start working backward."

The Lion, The Witch and The wardrobe by C.S. Lewis

Sorry if you don't know the book. Basically this all happens after Aslan suffers and dies. The evil queen thinks she has won. But the loss was the victory.

Since the story is a christian allegory. It's not surprising to see this in the Jesus story. Jesus is killed. The serpent thinks he won. But really, death was Jesus' Victory.

My sculpture reflects this turnabout another way. Look at one side. You'll see Jesus has a gruesome black eye and a crown of sharp thorns. While the serpent is smiling a dastardly grin. Now look at the other side, you'll see something different. A crown adorns Jesus' head and he has no injuries. The serpent, however, is dead. His fang is broken and his teeth are knocked out.

Oral Statement