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 |  My physical rendition of an ethereal subject. |
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This sculpture is intended to depict an idea that can only be truly realized outside of the constraints of our physical reality: omnipotence. Perhaps “Omniscience” would have been a more appropriate title, but omnipotence (all powerful), omniscience (all seeing), and omnipresence (all present) are a triad of traits for which having one naturally implies the others. These characteristics are most often—if not exclusively—associated with God or gods, depending on the nature of the religion. Some people imagine that there is an overarching celestial force that created the Universe but believe it is unconcerned about us and is not involved in our worldly affairs in any manner. Most who believe in a higher power, however, seem to think that God or gods care deeply about what we do and will communicate with us through direct or indirect channels. Omnipotence, much more than the other two concepts, suggests the latter: active participation rather than merely passive observation on the part of divinity. Eyes are a fascinating subject to me. I truly believe that they are the windows to the soul. That’s a clichéd phrase, yes, but there’s a reason why. No other part of the body can reflect someone’s mood, thoughts, and personality so clearly. I am also very intrigued by the idea of color symbolism. Knowing these two facts, you can probably surmise that it was not an arbitrary choice on my part to make the color of the irises blue. Blue is a color that is often affiliated with dreams, other worlds, or mystical subjects, and this is supported by its use in literature. In The Great Gatsby, for example, the billboard advertisement graced by the enormous blue eyes of Dr. T.J. Eckleburg is intended to symbolize God. The eyes look out across the Valley of Ashes, which is meant to show the immorality and corruption of America in the 1920’s—the “death” of God. Perhaps the prime example, however, is the posters in 1984 that feature a blue-eyed man and are captioned by one of the most famous lines in all of literary history: “Big Brother is watching you.” Although his near-omnipotence is achieved indirectly through the Thought Police, Big Brother is the greatest illustration of omnipotence in the human world. The notion of omnipotent gods is one that transcends cultures, so this sculpture is not meant to be representative of a single religion. Although a pile of severed eyeballs may not be the first thing that comes to mind when contemplating Christianity, the pyramidal structure is significant for the Christian concept of the Trinity of Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. The form is probably more reminiscent, however, of the ziggurats and pyramids of ancient cultures such as the Sumerians, Egyptians, Mayans, and Aztecs. These buildings served religious and/or spiritual purposes in their respective societies. The pyramidal design is more than just symbolic; it is practical. You wouldn’t know the following fact simply by looking at the sculpture, but it is hollow, by which I mean that there are no hidden eyeballs or any other type of supporting structure within the outer shell. In this way, it is not truly a “pile” of eyeballs, but it appears that way from the outside. For example, there are not 25 eyes in the 5x5 bottom level, but 16. In the second level there are 12 eyes, in the third level there are 8 eyes, in the fourth level there are 4 eyes, and the fifth layer consists of a single eye that caps the pyramid. Since there is nothing holding them up from the inside, the four faces lean against and support each other, so it is through their opposing forces that everything remains balanced and the structure maintains its form. Even the pupils of the eyeballs serve a function other than the obvious aesthetic one. It is difficult to tell from the photograph, but the pupils are not merely painted on; they are actually holes, just like real pupils. For those not familiar with ceramics, clay must be “fired” in a kiln at very high temperatures, and after it has been fired it must be glazed and fired again to become ceramic. If any part of your item is too thick, it might become overly hot and explode. Because of this, it is wise to keep it cool by creating as much surface area as possible. I used a simple, everyday pencil to drill a hole through each of the 41 eyeballs, all the way to the other side. The concern over temperature was one of the major motivations for making my structure hollow. “Omnipotence” is much more impressive and effective in the round—that is, when viewed firsthand, in three dimensions—but since it is impossible for you to see it in that capacity without coming to my house, this photograph does a relatively good job of capturing its essence. Although you can only see half of the piece, each face is essentially identical. On the bottom three levels of each face, the six eyeballs not situated on a corner look straight out, perpendicular to the edge of the base. Those that are positioned on a joint between two faces of the pyramid look out diagonally from their respective corners, and the lone eyeball at the apex gazes skyward towards the heavens. Thus, you can’t escape the penetrating stare no matter where you go—unless, of course, you just walk out of the room or away from your computer screen. But remember this one thing: Just because you can’t see it doesn’t mean that it’s not watching you…. “Omnipotence” is roughly 6 inches long on each side of the base and is approximately 4 inches tall.
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