Cross

by Kelly Klein

Like the photos of crosses in this abundant collection, author and photographer Kelly Klein manages to illuminate the intersection of two edges. On one edge, she brings forth reverence for this ancient symbol of Christian devotion and sacrifice. On the other edge she dares to dally in irreverence, not allowing her vision to be muddied with Christian dogma, etiquette, or protocol. As a result, she presents the cross within a telephone pole as respectfully as she captures the cross that dangles from a nun's habit. In a stunning piece of double photography, we see Malcolm X's FBI file overlaid across his mug shot. Blend the two images together and there's a cross stamped across his heart like an ominous target. While conservative Christians will no doubt find some of the images offensive, most viewers will find them simultaneously beautiful and unsettling. In fact, the cross is meant to be a symbol of contradiction, notes Kelly Klein in her introduction. "Even within Christianity it is an image transformed from an instrument of torture and death into a symbol of hope, life and love." --Gail Hudson

222 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2000