Station IV
Asterix and Red Scripture denotes station in conversation with art piece.
Catholic
Jesus Meets His Mother.
34 Then Simeon blessed them and said to his mother Mary, “This child is destined for the falling and the rising of many in Israel and to be a sign that will be opposed 35 so that the inner thoughts of many will be revealed—and a sword will pierce your own soul, too.”
Luke 2:34-35
Methodist*
Peter Denies Jesus.
69 Now Peter was sitting outside in the courtyard. A female servant came to him and said, “You also were with Jesus the Galilean.” 70 But he denied it before all of them, saying, “I do not know what you are talking about.” 71 When he went out to the porch, another female servant saw him, and she said to the bystanders, “This man was with Jesus the Nazarene.” 72 Again he denied it with an oath, “I do not know the man.” 73 After a little while the bystanders came up and said to Peter, “Certainly you are also one of them, for your accent betrays you.” 74 Then he began to curse, and he swore an oath, “I do not know the man!” At that moment the cock crowed. 75 Then Peter remembered what Jesus had said: “Before the cock crows, you will deny me three times.” And he went out and wept bitterly.
Matthew 26:69-75
“Denial”
Artist: Nick Kepley
Artist Statement
Choreographed and Danced by Nick Kepley
Music: “Journey 5” by Max Richter
What are all of the reasons that we might deny something? And what might we deny? Our selves, each other, our longings, passions, fears, hopes, and dreams…When’s the last time you denied something and why did you do it? Were you afraid? Did it hurt too much? Were you not allowed? Did you want in?
Being raised in Christianity taught me that denial of self was sacred, even necessary, if I wanted to experience life after death. I fought like hell to deny who I was for the majority of the first 21 years of my life. So when I re-read the biblical passages detailing Peter’s denial of Jesus for this project as someone who is no longer Christian, I found myself not exactly rooting for Peter, but certainly being much more interested in his experience than that of Jesus.
Now more than ever, under the scaffolding of “America,” denial is the air we breathe and the water we swim in. It’s not only Peter who weeps now, it’s the world.