Eran Shakine

Book excerpt: The drawings of Israeli artist Eran Shakine may look carefree and casual, but their message is serious: Muslims, Christians, and Jews share a history. They are linked through Abraham's sons Ishmael, an ancestor of the Muslims, and Isaac, an ancestor of the Jews, as well as through Jesus, born a Jew. As Shakine demonstrates in this new collection of his work, Muslims, Christians, and Jews have a great deal in common. Eran Shakine: Knocking on Heaven's Door presents new large-format oilstick drawings depicting Muslims, Christians, and Jews as an indistinguishable trio involved in actions that are both profound and humorous. In doing so, he reveals both the diversity and the similarity of the three and offers his own highly individual view of these world religions. Shakine's work argues that though they may have many differences, they share one thought: when they knock at heaven's door, they all hope to find the love of God. The result is a moving, sometimes witty, and always powerful collection of drawings that speak to many conflicts in the world today.