Sensuality, Sex and Spirituality: Pictures
Just got off the ship after two weeks of exploring the western Mediterranean, shooting pictures around the theme of twined sex and spirituality. The images weren’t hard to find; France, Spain, Italy are certainly a fertile field. See what you think. Some may seem more clearly evocative than others.
Outer Wall of Gaudi’s Sagrada Familia cathedral in Barcelona.
Doorway Light in Vigo, Spain
Poster on sanctuary inner wall, Sagrada Familia. Note the stained glass behind it and the 3rd line of the caption.
A tourist in Florence poses for a portrait.
More images to come. Would love your thoughts on any and all.
Categories: Uncategorized
Tags: Barcelona, cathedral, Florence, France, Gaudi, Italy, Mediterranean, Sagrada Familia, sanctuary, sensuality, sex, ship, Spain, spirituality, stained glass, Vigo
Comments
Sensuality and spirituality is a part of all of us.
Agreed, Ted. And I think they’re woven together: both expressions of profound connection.
I like.
¡Viva la reformación!
Thanks for this Like, Bob. And this Viva.
If we had more sensuality in our art and architecture we might not have to put up with pop Christian music!
I’d sure be happy to see a lot more building by Gaudi, who did the Barcelona cathedral. I haven’t heard enough pop Christian music to form an opinion. Clearly I have been off in a secular corner. But I think living in such spaces would affect us hugely in so many ways. Hard to even project.
Lovely pics. I’m looking forward to reading the book.
Both sensuality and spirituality need to be free form. When either is programmed or constrained, it provides little therapy and can rub the wrong way.
Thanks, Stu. And your own photography, Stuart George Imaging, sure leads in that direction.
The media images in Europe tell the story of our differences in sexuality, morality and reality. Can you imagine our newspapers, magazines and television showing frontal nudity routinely?
I was pretty startled by that image of the couple in Sagrada Familia, Jacqueline/Jackie. And I didn’t know that European papers routinely show nudity. I guess British and Indian papers are the only foreign newspapers I regularly see.
I love the snake at the base of the Sagrada Familia wall. It carries the theme of the couple even further.
I’m glad you noticed that, kenju. More Sagrada Familia snakes to come. Surely there’s some kundalini in the intent, and not all Tree of Knowledge.
Lovely photos. Can’t wait to see the rest and readi more about this. My “knowledge” of this subject is primarily through the sensual/erotic metaphors used by Christian mystics like St. John of the Cross and St. Teresa of Avila which are great favorites of mine. Many people find this older type of erotic religious/spiritual metaphor creepy, but I think that is a misunderstanding of it and of the mystic religious experience.
Thanks, Lee. I’m also a fan of St. T. This trip included a day in Lisbon, which I loved. My first time in Portugal, where I understand you had a lovely time. Thanks for visiting and for subscribing. I was pleased to see you’d signed up.
It is clear that the Europeans treat nudity as natural and not secretive as we do here.
They seem to live a much more relaxed life then we do.We should not criticize them for that.
Maybe that is why so many great painters come from Europe.
They can explore the human body and not be criticized.
They seem to work fewer hours as well, Bob!