Thoughts on "My Name is Asher Lev"
I was able to finish this book today, so here are some thoughts.
In some ways this book reminded me of Joyce's "Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man", but I enjoyed "Asher Lev" much more. Instead of replacing his religion with art as Stephan Daedelus does, Asher Lev, the observant Jew, embraces his faith and paints truth. A much better formula I think... and I don't think I mean that necessarily as a Christian, but as an artist. As Asher Lev discovers, there is an aesthetic form of suffering and agony in a crucified Christ that exists no where else. But how can a Jew paint a crucifix? That's just what Asher Lev does and becomes, in a way, a crucified figure himself, but too much on that subject will spoil the book. It's an excellent read and a great foundation for a discussion on faith and art.
I really liked the following quote and, replacing "paint" with "write", has been running through my mind all day:
"But once you decide to paint something you must paint the truth or you will paint green rot." - Jacob Kahn, pg. 227
Recommended? Aye.
In some ways this book reminded me of Joyce's "Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man", but I enjoyed "Asher Lev" much more. Instead of replacing his religion with art as Stephan Daedelus does, Asher Lev, the observant Jew, embraces his faith and paints truth. A much better formula I think... and I don't think I mean that necessarily as a Christian, but as an artist. As Asher Lev discovers, there is an aesthetic form of suffering and agony in a crucified Christ that exists no where else. But how can a Jew paint a crucifix? That's just what Asher Lev does and becomes, in a way, a crucified figure himself, but too much on that subject will spoil the book. It's an excellent read and a great foundation for a discussion on faith and art.
I really liked the following quote and, replacing "paint" with "write", has been running through my mind all day:
"But once you decide to paint something you must paint the truth or you will paint green rot." - Jacob Kahn, pg. 227
Recommended? Aye.