Salif brought out the old, weathered canvass, proudly displaying his Styrofoam art. Holding a piece of foam, he poured gasoline on it, showing us how he shapes the material before he paints it.
Salif is an artist, and has been for at least twenty years. When we visited him, unfinished works, bottles of paint, and pieces of foam lay on his porch, scattered by his process and his five children.
Almost every week, one of the missionaries visits Salif at his home in Vridi, telling him a story from the Bible. During our visit, he learned about Nehemiah and the rebuilding of the walls of Jerusalem. Afterwards, he retold the story in his own words, remembering most of the details.
Since he became a Christian two years ago, he has depicted several biblical stories in his work—the Good Samaritan, the birth of Christ, and the crucifixion—while also continuing to make distinctly African, tribal art.
Echoing Paul's words to the Corinthians, theologian Francis Schaeffer writes in Art and the Bible, "A Christian should use...arts to the glory of God, not just as tracts, mind you, but as things of beauty to the praise of God. An art work can be a doxology in itself."
Not all of Salif's works are overtly Christian, but they all depict some aspect of life—creation, coming of age, and community, to name a few, reminding us of the words of another theologian, Abraham Kuyper, who once said, "There is not a square inch in the whole domain of our human existence over which Christ, who is Sovereign over all, does not cry, Mine!"
As in all things, pray that God be glorified through the art of Salif and that Salif continues to grow in "the knowledge of him who called us to his own glory and excellence."
By Lee
 |
| Salif (right), his wife (middle), and sister-in-law (left) with Salif's children |
Almost every week, one of the missionaries visits Salif at his home in Vridi, telling him a story from the Bible. During our visit, he learned about Nehemiah and the rebuilding of the walls of Jerusalem. Afterwards, he retold the story in his own words, remembering most of the details.
Since he became a Christian two years ago, he has depicted several biblical stories in his work—the Good Samaritan, the birth of Christ, and the crucifixion—while also continuing to make distinctly African, tribal art.
Echoing Paul's words to the Corinthians, theologian Francis Schaeffer writes in Art and the Bible, "A Christian should use...arts to the glory of God, not just as tracts, mind you, but as things of beauty to the praise of God. An art work can be a doxology in itself."
As in all things, pray that God be glorified through the art of Salif and that Salif continues to grow in "the knowledge of him who called us to his own glory and excellence."
By Lee