Extract
of review on "RIO Art and Culture" Magazine, November 12, 2014.
Adam Grzybowski (Poland
1952) and Luis Goldman (Argentina 1964) joined the jewish humor and comics
to interpret the meanings implicit in the stories of the Holy Book.
Thus was born the
"Bible Unauthorized Version". Hilarious interpretations of episodes
like the competition between Cain and Abel, Noah and the animals, the fortunes
and misfortunes of Abraham, the barbarism in Sodom and Gomorrah and the Jacob
obsession by Rachel. The biblical characters come to life itself, humanity.
Drawings and dialogues that
unite "the best Yiddish humor and the Rio's laugh, religious fervor and
the comedy of manners, the brazilian guru and the sephardic mysticism,"
like said Rabbi Uri Lam, in one of three prefaces - the others are the Pastor
André Botelho and Dr. Cristina Werner, sexologist.
With its lovely insight to
interpret behind the words, Grzybowski and Goldman suggest that the way we live
need not be authorized. In the work it find passages that produce an
irresistible invitation to reflection and a look larger of the role of religion
in our lives. One way to draw attention to the need for tolerance, diversity
and above all, to human contours that appear, with all its contradictions, on
the "authorized" versions.
The
original texts are also cited in the "Bible Unauthorized Version".
And no leaves doubt: the idiosyncrasies of the human soul are very clearly
present in the book of God. The script has also huge sexual variety, generally
omitted in the religious interpretations. Our ancestors were, it seems, much
more flexibles with the erotic side of life.
It is not
about being politically correct or incorrect, controversial or rebellious.
There is also no lack of respect - quite the contrary. These fun stories show
that it is possible to view the failures and excesses of the holy scriptures
and still to believe in the power of faith and the beauty of religions (here,
jews, christians and muslims appear like children of the same Father).
The "Bible
Unauthorized Version" is an ode to freedom and to the intelligence, to the
importance of diversity and to the human capacity to look, with sensitivity and
humor, the contradictions and mysteries of our own existence.
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