mel chin

The Treachery of Symbols


1989
spear, sponge, dipped in vinegar
13 1/4 x 11 5/8 x 2 inches

Jesus was thirsty. They gave him a sponge loaded with vinegar water on a stick. They ended his life with a spear point to his side, or so John says. Was it cruel? Or was it compassionate? Vinegared water is what Roman soldiers drank. The spear-point was not successfully anyway, or so says John.