Beautiful Angle is a poster project of graphic designer Lance Kagey and writer Tom Llewellyn.  Based in Tacoma, WA, approximately once per month they hand crafts posters (via letter press and screen print) and post them around the city.  Their first poster, Swirl, was posted on the 485th anniversary of Martin Luther nailing his 95 Theses to the church doors in Whittenburg.  Who says public art can’t be beautiful, poignant and spiritually provocative?

Throwback: my junior year of college I decided to major in art (opposed to the ever alluring field of mathematics) and my professor, Sam Watson, was one of the primary reasons for the switch.  The guy could bring art history to life like you wouldn’t believe.  Everything was memorized by heart and not just by head.  I remember wanting to have that kind of intimate knowledge about history and how social/artistic movements shaped their context and vice versa.  After class one day Sam and I were talking about the future and what it held for me.  In hindsight it was a bit ironic talking about the future with a man whose office was crammed with toys and various yester-year nostalgia.  Regardless, it was a great talk and he brought up the question as to whose will I was going to pursue in life:  Jesus’ or my own?  That question has plagued me since middle school and was brought up again yesterday while listening to Kanye West’s press conference on his new album and foray into fashion with Past Tell Museum.

“I don’t want to be James Bond.  I don’t want to fit into this iconic figure that, you know, someone else has made.  Just like with me, you know, how I don’t want to be Jesus Christ.  You know my whole life they’re like; I was raised as a Christian, and like, yo, be Christ-like.  Be Christ-like.  And I’m like “No, I don’t wanna fuckin’ be Christ-like.  I wanna be “Me-like.”  I want to be the best me ’cause you’re gonna fall short of being Christ like and then you’ll never quite be happy and then you’ll always feel like you have to give up 20% of your money to try to buy back some of this happiness or something like that.”

It’s a guilty pleasure of mine to read Kanye’s blog.  When he’s not gawking bikini-clad ladies he’s got a good eye for design and an incredible capacity to get things done.  But whether it’s the Pope or pop-artists talking it is good practice to take it all with a grain of salt (what does that even mean?).

I agree with Mr. West that one shouldn’t aim to fulfill the collective idea of cool/hip/successful/whatever with their life work.  Where I disagree with him (and in Dr. Watson) is in the dichotomy that they’ve place on this this ever-allusive thing called “God’s will.”  Does it really have to be one or the other?  His vs. ours?

What if we loved the things that God is for and hate the things that God is against?  What if the things we wanted lined up with things that have been good and true and pure since the conception of the universe (and time for that matter)?  If that were the case we wouldn’t have to pray for some divine insight regarding what’s right.

Slavery?  Genocide?  Global poverty?  Racism?  Classism?  Sexism?  None of these seem to be gray issues, yet history proves that when humanity ask their idea of God what to do we keep coming up with different answers.  It’s a conflict that can’t be stopped as long as our idea of God is one focused only on our individual or nation’s benefit and not that of the world as a system.  Why would any sort of being answer your prayers if their fulfillment would oppress hundreds and rape the world of its resources?

So, to the Kanye’s of the world (or whatever category-defier you hope to be), push foreward with your passion and realize your talents and connections can bring this place one step closer to heaven.  Employ people.  Treat them fairly.  Their well being will only benefit your local/global reputation.