Babel

The biblical story of the building of the Tower of Babel comes to explain mankind's separation into distinct cultures and languages. It tells of a time when the human race speaks one language and forms one community centered in the land of Shinar (within present-day Iraq). This primordial community proposes to build a tower whose top will reach heaven. They are confident this great project will secure their fame and protect them from being scattered over the face of the earth. God, however, surveys their handiwork and grows alarmed, probably at their outsized, almost megalomaniacal ambition. 'Now nothing will be withheld from them', He exclaims, and proceeds to scatter them over the face of the earth. He also confounds their language so 'that they may not understand one another's speech.' Thus, says the Bible, the place is called 'Babel', which in Hebrew connotes confused speech, thwarted communication. The Babel series was conceived almost wholly during the weeks and months following the 9/11 disaster. However, they were really born when I came across this incredible hand made paper on which I finally could develop the work seen here. This paper, heavily embossed with ancient Egyptian and Middle Eastern language and math symbols activated my need to express something of what I was feeling about the event. The paper formed the subtext and text for my symbols, metaphors, and narrative. This work will, I hope, be seen as aesthetically pleasing, evocative and moving.

...Marilyn Tarlow