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From another angle his eyes close.

Well, it seems a lot of people are using white Jesus to take us for a ride.  The plastic flowers depict eternal life.  Plastic is forever.  The scene bears no resemblance to the real deal as I understand it.  Perhaps I shouldn't post comments that have a political bent, but that's what sprang to my mind and I've gotten to the point where quiet, polite dissent ain't working. 

 

Rambling aside, I like the shot.

Thanks for the comment. I quite agree. When I first saw this picture of Christ on the cross on a bicycle basket, I thought "I wonder who does his hair?".

And to strap him onto a God-awful wicker bicycle basket.  Hasn't the man suffered enough?  I'd be curious to hear the string of thoughts that led to this selection.

 

I've been thinking about your work lately.  I still recall shots you posted a decade ago.  Any intent to compile your best work into a retrospective?  Blurb, anyone?

Jack,

always teasing us, and thats what I like best in your work. Deciding who is riding this bike is a man or a woman is hard in Japan. They are a sort of crossdressers when choosing a bike to ride, at least in our western eyes. But i guess it is a girl, demonstrating her new found love...Jezus. It is a sort of piety, I like it. Compliments.

One thing I enjoy about traveling is seeing the array of things associated with religion and mythologies, and this basket is an interesting example.  In the US, I see a lot of crosses and fish symbols affixed to cars, or a plastic Jesus or the BVM or a saint affixed to the dashboard.  I see the Jesus placard in the photo as being similar to those, as a pronouncement and a reminder, and a mild form of evangelism.  It would be easy to be cynical about this customized basket, but it is at least admirable that in a country where Christians are a small minority, this person proudly owns their beliefs. 

Compositionally, the simple neutral background works well to bring out the colors in the basket.  Nicely framed, with the frame around Jesus off center.

Just perfect :)!

Jeffs, several of your comments simply are hilariously funny.  I shall bow to your superior sense of humor.  One thing I'll add, though - a plastic Jesus?  Really?!

 

Perhaps, Jack, Japanese Christians don't have patron saints.  In that case, for them, Jesus must be the guardian of safe bicycle travel.  (For those viewers who are Christian, I hope my irreverence doesn't offend.  I say similar things about my own religion.)

 

Great find, Jack.

 

 

He's got his eyes on those lovely plastic flowers.

I like the anchors formed by the bike elements that emerge from the frame edges to hold the basket together. I think there is a sense of unexpected surprise here with that Jesus photo next to the plastic flowers.

 

In USA, we do see a lot of funny writings on cars, trucks and motorbikes. During the recent election cycle, one guy put a sticker on his truck that said "I vote for Jesus". I think he was frustrated by all the presidential candidates and decided to opt for Jesus instead.

Hello Jack: Ufffff! This new format is driving me crazy. I find it so cumbersome and user unfriendly. I was searching for your new uploads and it was not easy, but finally, here I am, looking at this baffling image. As usual, there is no simple explanation or answer for the images you capture, and this one is no exception. For some unfathomable reason, the person riding the bike (probably a female) is using the image of Crist as either a shield or a beacon. Or in the worst of cases, an amulet or an adornment. What struck me the most was your comment about "who does his hair". I remember you once very assertive, proper, correct comment on a similar comment implied in the title of one of my images on gods carved on stone. You so rightly corrected me and I learned a lot, and that is why you reply and comment below struck me as odd. DG

A Blond Blue-eyed Jesus. Perfect.

Ah, the blond Jesus again. He does seem to get around.

 

I would like to know what all of this means to the owner of the bicycle.

 

--Lannie

Plastic suffering with happy flowers. Because crucifiction wasn't bad enough....

 

Indeed putting one's beliefs on display like this always makes me wonder the thought process that went into doing it. In my view (without any doubt tainted), these kind of things reduce religion to some two-dimensional shallow rite without a serious intellectual or spiritual investment. Then again, the owner of this bike probably will be convinced I'll end burning in hell, so not sure the discussion would go anywhere.

You nailed this one.