from the introduction to "Soulbody Phoenix" an exhibit of photos by Bernard McCaffrey-April, 2006

Soulbody- In Celtic Christianity the soul lovingly encloses the material body. An apparent opposition to the Mediterannean Christian-Gnostic-Manichean-Dualist influenced idea of the soul enclosed by the unspiritual flesh. awaiting its chance to escape to the possible joys of the hereafter

Phoenix- Egyptian Mythology- A long lived birdlike creature that, being consumed in fire, arises from the ashes, renewed and purified.

This is Bernard McCaffrey's first major solo exhibit since a house fire vaporized 85% of his 25 years of prints and negative in Dec. 2003. Thanks to the tremendous support and donations of time, money and materials from the Ottawa Valley community, within a year he and his wife were able to move into a newly built, warm dry, solar powered bio-mass heated space. Ten months later, with the interior still only 1/3 finished, he had a darkroom up and running on mostly donated equipment. From galleries and websites, collectors and friends, he has slowly built up his body of previous work and added to it with new visions.

Early on his art training introduced him to the beauty of the human form in its natural state. Later the writings and visual work of Eric Gill, the English-Welsh Catholic artist, gave him a start on a theology of the body and more recently the beautiful insights of Celtic Christianity have deepened his understanding.

To work visually, especially with a camera, on the subject of the unclothed figure in a mechanistic, puritanical, life destroying society (and the huge amounts of pornography such a society must produce) that comprises much of North America is a small revolutionary act. To relate the work to the Christian
message that Creator-God sacrilized the human bodyu by inhabiting it, is to participate in a greater 2000 year old revolution that is still not wholly understood. These studies of the body- in nature, in myth, in mediation, in studio- are the artist-photographer's attempt to further that understanding.

Thoughts On Body and Archetype

As many cultures and religions (Egyptian, Celtic, Greco-Roman, Christian, Hindu, etc.) have used the human body- both clothed and unclothed- as symbol, archetype of human values, characteristics, of natural forces and beings, of gods and goddesses, I thought I would put down a few thoughts of others- besides Wittengenstein- on the Body.

Robert Henri- American artist and art educator- "There is nothing in all the world more beautiful or significant of the laws of the universe than the nude human body. In fact, it is not only among the artists, but among all people, that a greater appreciation and respect for the human body should develop."

Wendell Berry- American poet and farmer- "Nothing could be more absurd than to despise the body and yet yearn for its resurrection."

Dave Ellard- scientist-.."It was in this way was made all the iron in our blood, all the phosphorous and calcium that strenghtens our bones, all the sodium and potassium that drives signals along our nerves. Atoms so formed are thrown off into space by aged stars in their death throes. Natural forces recycle them into new stars, into planets, plants and people. We are all made of stardust."