Davi Rabelo

The Tree of Life (A Árvore da Vida)

Image size: 12x18”

Paper size: 16x22”

Printed on Stonehenge printmaking paper 250g/m2

Price: $175 

Creation is an act of love and sacrifice. This image is a depiction of the Ipê tree as the Tree of Life, along with other symbolic elements. The Ipê is a characteristic tree from central Brazil, that has exuberant flowers and deep roots. It only blooms during wintertime, when is usually very hot and dry. During this period, the vegetation loses its colour, and the landscape looks lifeless, and that is when the Ipê blooms with its radiant yellow colours showing that life still is present even in the harshest environments, transforming our landscapes. It is a reminder that God is still at work, even when everything seems lifeless, dull, and opaque. The image also takes inspiration from the old English poem “Dream of the Rood, which presents the crucifixion from the tree’s perspective. The cathedral arches are a reminder that creation itself is God’s temple, where he dwells with his people and will be restored at the end.