Painting by Lino Pontebon, “an artist from the Negros island of the Philippines. The area in which he lives has been the scene of considerable military action and this has added to the already hard life of the peasants. His painting of the angry Christ captures a mood in the Philippines and reflects the prevailing anger of the people at being manipulated by forces beyond their control.
The painting became popular in many parts of the world, especially among the young. It counteracts the image of ‘gentle Jesus meek and mild’ with the reminder that Jesus also became angry at injustice.”
(Source for this and the image: The Bible Through Asian Eyes by Masao Takenaka and Ron O’Grady 1991)
Painting by Le Van Dai. “He came to Hong Kong as a refugee from Vietnam in 1984 and was placed in the Kai Tak refugee camp. In his homeland he had been educated at an Art Academy in Saigon and became a practicing artist so when he entered the refugee camp he began to take classes in art with the younger children. He painted the nativity for Steven Neisham, a Lutheran missionary who was assisting the refugees. It is painted on dark-colored paper using water-based paints. In the picture Mary is dressed in traditional tribal clothing and the motif is continued through the background.” (Source for this and the image: The Bible Through Asian Eyes by Masao Takenaka and Ron O’Grady 1991)