Jesus The Son Of Man

My entry for an architectural design concept competition for a statue of Jesus in Papua, Indonesia.

Ideological Basis

While their land is extraordinarily rich of natural resources, extraordinarily fertile, and extraordinarily beautiful, Papuan people has been facing a lot of conflicts and troubles for a long time.

When troubles are great and enduring, there are times when we must return to our innerselves and make peace with them, to gain new strength and confidence so we can face the future in a reinforced spirit.

One of the way is a condition of total submission and fatefulness towards God: A way that Jesus himself showed during his last moments. In Gethsemane, Jesus experienced the suffering of the children of men. There he prayed: "Father, if you are willing, take this cup away from me. Yet not my will but yours be done." (Luke 22-42)

 
"Thy will, not mine, shall be done."

NON MEA VOLUNTAS, SED TUA FIAT

The moment was pictured very nicely in "Christ in Gethsemane" painting. Because of the correlation between Jesus' suffering pictured in the painting and the suffering of Papuan people, His pose will be used for the proposed statue of Jesus in Papua.

Contemplating Jesus' suffering and his fatefulness, the statue will be titled "Jesus The Son of Man".



 Structural & Architectural

Papua is very prone of earthquakes, furthermore, the location where the statue will be placed is ontop of a hill. The shape of Jesus praying in Gethsemane is giving a chance for a wider support, which will allow us to make a taller structure - a taller statue, especialy compared to a standing humanoid or crucifix structure.

Other than wide support, the pose is also prividing us chance to utilise the body of Jesus as a space for an indoor chapel.

The statue is located on a peninsula, facing southeast to the ocean, a symbolism of mother nature, of God himself. From the city of Jayapura, it will be seen as a silhouette in the morning, leading the people towards the sun, the source of life. In the afternoon it will be showered with sunlight from behind. In the morning, fishermen coming home from the sea will be greeted by the statue, like a gate to reach the port of Jayapura, their home.