Blood Chapel earns Best In Show distinction by James Reade Venable

Books News

Blood Chapel earns Best In Show distinction

james reade venable

Dec 24, 2023

Location: New York City

Summary

Blood Chapel makes the cover of BYU's Fall 2023 Inscape and takes home Best In Show prize.

The latest issue of Inscape, Brigham Young Unversity's journal, features 'Blood Chapel' on it's latest cover. It also won the Best In Show distinction in the Visual Arts category. This photo was simply a byproduct of taking a photo which I wasn't particularly thrilled with and experimenting with it in Lightroom. I have found that sometimes the content of a photograph is worth saving even if the execution is poor. I didn't like initial image and instead of deleting it I decided to manipulate the image. I found something that struck a nerve within myself. This piece all of a sudden became representative of all the blood that has been shed due to Christianity and other religions as well. Its a photo of a little roadside chapel in Belgium, that I believe is for the farmers to pray for successful seasons. I still am not sure, but they fascinate me and are sprinkled all about the country side villages of Wallonia. I am just glad this piece which experimentation and faith in my instincts actually has a place now. And my biggest kick is that, simply by not pressing delete and playing artistically I also won a $100 as a best in show prize which I can use to buy my two year old daughter gifts.