Jonah and the Whale 1937

John B. Flannagan made this sculpture, "Jonah and the Whale," and you can see it there in the Minneapolis Institute of Art. I think about Flannagan carving directly into the stone, slowly revealing the forms within. It’s such a tender image, you know? Jonah curled up inside the whale, like he's in the womb. Look at the texture of the stone, the way it’s been smoothed and polished, and the way the cuts reveal the story. I wonder what Flannagan was thinking about when he made this? Was he thinking about shelter, protection, or transformation? Carving stone is not an easy gig. It's a slow, deliberate act, full of mistakes, changes, and second guesses. And this sculpture seems to be part of an ongoing exploration, playing with themes of vulnerability and resilience. It’s all part of this big conversation that artists have across time. We keep inspiring each other, working through our questions, one gesture at a time. And that’s where the magic happens.