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Guide, New Testament Baptist Church, Ypsilanti, Michigan (work of art)

Artwork Info

Created
2002; printed 2004
Nationality
American
Birth/Death
1950-
Dimensions
18 x 11 in.
(45.7 x 27.9 cm)
Medium
Photography

Credit

Gift of the artist.

Culture
American

About

The photograph, Guide, New Testament Baptist Church, Ypsilanti, Michigan, is part of One God, One Faith, One Baptism, a series created by Heagins portraying different events and religious ceremonies at African American churches, including church services, tent revivals, baptisms, and funerals. In this work, Heagins shows an usher at rest against a church door during a Christian religious service. According to the artist, ushers do more than help worshippers find a seat in a church. Heagins argues that ushers represent guides along a path of spiritual righteousness. As in other works by the artist, Heagins omits certain details in his composition. Heagins focuses on the gloved hands of the usher to communicate his ideas, cropping out of the frame the top part of the man’s body, including his face. According to Heagins, “his face…would have distracted” from the message in Guide.

 

Tags: NC art, NC artist, North Carolina

Images

  • Guide, New Testament Baptist Church, Ypsilanti, Michigan