René Holm - Let me be your everlasting light

Light is the theme of the new paintings by René Holm (b. Esbjerg, 1967). Faceless protagonists traversing symbolic forests with leafless trees occurred already in previous works, stripping them of individual or local signifiers and moving them into a spiritual and universal realm. Skulls with burning candles in Still lifes symbolize the fragility of life and unavoidability of death. Holm goes a step further and makes his figures carry the symbols in their hands or even has them become themselves live still lifes with burning candles on their backs. The presence of death is not a picture to behold from afar but a truth to be aware of and carry with us every day. The burning candles also mean that we're here with our sorrow as well as our light. We must burn to shine. This book accompanies the artist's gallery exhibition "Let me be your everlasting light" in Horsens, Denmark.

The ancient symbolism of light and dark in Holm's new paintings

Autorentext

Provost Kræn Christensen, Sjelborg Strandvej 13, Esbjerg V., who has been a priest for almost 29 years. Kræn Christensen is the dean of 34 priests for half of his position and pastor at Hjerting for the other half, where the two other parish priests in Hjerting are Arne Mårup and Georg Græsholt.

Klappentext

Light is the theme of the new paintings by René Holm (b. Esbjerg, 1967). Faceless protagonists traversing symbolic forests with leafless trees occurred already in previous works, stripping them of individual or local signifiers and moving them into a spiritual and universal realm. Skulls with burning candles in Still lifes symbolize the fragility of life and unavoidability of death. Holm goes a step further and makes his figures carry the symbols in their hands or even has them become themselves live "still lifes" with burning candles on their backs. The presence of death is not a picture to behold from afar but a truth to be aware of and carry with us every day. The burning candles also mean that we're here with our sorrow as well as our light. We must burn to shine. This book accompanies the artist's gallery exhibition "Let me be your everlasting light" in Horsens, Denmark.