Community of Prayer
Mixed Media, 2023
Axiom Creative Collective
Community of Prayer is a collaborative work by six artists, each with unique vision, talent, perspective, and experience. Each artist was given a section of the popular image, Praying Hands by artist and theorist Albrecht Durer, and tasked with creating a work that would add to the whole. As each artist completed their work and the full image became reimagined, what was revealed was the beauty of a community connected and unified in mission, vulnerability, and faith. Community of Prayer is a demonstration of the importance of corporate prayer and a reminder of the value that every individual adds to a praying community (1 Thessalonians 5:11, Hebrews 10:24- 25, Ecclesiastes 4:9).
As our community observes the season of Lent, it is our hope that corporate prayer becomes a central practice in moving toward renewal. Praying together unifies us with other believers and collectively connects us with the purposes of Christ. Prayer moves us away from “self”..
With two or more take time now to:
Prayer for one another
Pray for your community
Pray for the world
“Praying Hands” Iconography
The symbol of praying hands can mean many different things, depending on the context and culture in which it is used. Many are only aware of the meanings within their own social or cultural circles, but its use is actually incredibly varied. The gesture has many different meanings across different cultures and regions of the world with a rich history to be found behind some of these uses.
Generally seen as a gesture of respect, it can also mean anything from obedience or submission to the receiver, to something as simple as a warm greeting. Most commonly it is known as a means of speaking openly to a higher god for Christians, Jews, Hindus, and Buddhists.
This particular image which Community of Prayer utilizes has become known as one of the most famous drawings of all time. Although the original image is over 500 years old it still appears in today's modern culture in a variety of different forms. Praying Hands, also known as Study of the Hands of an Apostle, originally a pen-and-ink drawing, was first produced in 1508 and considered as a study for the hands of an apostle, whose full picture was planned to occupy the central panel of a triptych installed in Frankfurt entitled the Heller Altarpiece.
