In 2014 international photographer James C. Lewis held an amazing exhibition of “African Orishas” as he paid homage to African deities through his art.
James C. Lewis has a series of photos that depict some of the most famous Bible characters as people of African and Middle Eastern origins.
The series features over 80 models who identify as Asian, Native American, Hispanic, African, Middle Eastern, Black American and West Indian.
Despite the fact that these characters are predominately of Semitic and African origin (i.e. people of color), since the Renaissance they have been almost always been depicted as white.
James C. Lewis, an international photographer, grew up with a Bible that was “whitewashed.” Several years ago, James began a mission to present biblical characters as people of color. Though his goal was not to reflect precise historical context, the result is often dramatically closer to reality than our traditional Western images.
According to James, “I think it is very important to see one’s self in the scripture so that it may become real in our eyes. The whitewashing of the Bible has always bothered me. However I’m happy to now have the opportunity to give a different point of view. I wish to exhibit a splash of color onto the biblical pages of history with my creative embellishments. By doing so I hope to open the minds and eyes of the ignorant and create open conversations of how we can learn to see the world through colorful lenses. After all, the Gospel of Jesus Christ is intended for everyone.”
See the entire “Icons of the Bible” series here: https://www.pinterest.com/rawnoire/icons-of-the-bible/
