The Burnt Offering. Denis Brown 1995. 122 x 155 cm, 4 x 5 feet.
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The text, from Leviticus in the Bible, graphically explains the ritual slaughter and offering of animal sacrifices to the Lord. Here the Word itself is presented as a burnt offering.

This and other works from my 'Leviticus' series were an aggressive dissent from those who follow the letter of scripture and miss the spirit. Ironic presentations of extreme biblical texts that no one would advocate today, were directed againtst the bigotry inherent in overly literal advocations of scripture, for example, to justify homophobia, or the continued subjugation of women within Christian Church hierarchies.

While I now see my work from this period was blunt and pedantic, those who see these works as pure anger are missing my celebrations of wild color ,imagery and symbolism. It was a very dynamic work period for me at the time.

Thsee works were made  in my mid-twenties at a time when I was tired of people admiring the beauty of calligraphy without engaging deeper. I incorporated extreme texts in an attempt to force the viewer to engage more fully with the works.

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