by Laurence Chen, Elder for Arts

Roger Feldman, a sculptor and professor of art at SPU, has something in common with Nehemiah: Both men were inspired by the idea of rebuilding in the midst of destruction. Unlike Nehemiah however, Roger didn’t take on such a task in the face of vigorous opposition. He did not have to work with one hand while holding a spear in the other. But Roger’s artistic effort required as much creativity as anything Nehemiah might have done to outmaneuver his foes.

In September 2001, Roger was in the middle of installing work on the campus of George Fox University when the 9/11 attack occurred. As campus morale darkened over the following weeks, his sculpture (which was large enough to seat people inside) became a focal point for people to escape, contemplate and reflect. In hindsight, those events served as the catalyst for his series based on the gates of Jerusalem.

Roger recalled the stone walls of Jerusalem from a trip to Israel in 1993; being awed by their scale and structure and seeing how parts had withstood bombardment even from modern tanks. And he got to asking himself the question, “In the midst of devastation, how do you restore and rebuild?” At the SPU library he read books on the history of Nehemiah. He was fascinated by the story of courage, confidence, and trust in God to rebuild a symbol of the city’s–and the culture’s–identity. “It was significant as a symbol of hope,” he says.

Thus the idea to reinterpret the city’s gates in a modern sculptural style with contemporary materials was born. There are ten gates in all, such as the Sheep Gate, the Water Gate, the East Gate (from which Christ is to return), etc. His first hurdle: what materials would give his gate maquettes (French for “scale model”) a realistic reference for the look and feel of the real thing? After trying several methods, he hit upon using an epoxy-like foam that, combined with mortar, bears a strong resemblance to the actual wall’s pock-marked surface.

For the gate forms , Roger used recycled wood coated with cement.

Metaphorical materials like mortar (it joins things together) and recycled lumber are hallmarks of Roger’s sculpture. “I find great delight in that kind of resonance between materials and the meaning behind the materials,” he says.

Please take a moment to reflect on two of Roger’s gates on display in the church lobby (and on bulletin covers) during our sermon series on Nehemiah .