Here, the back of a discarded and broken guitar body is reclaimed as the prepared surface for the image of Jesus Christ. The artist’s work both honors and recontextualizes the work of the iconographer and was completed while meditating on this Advent text from the Hebrew Scriptures (Micah 5:2-5a) “…From you shall come forth for me one who is to rule in Israel, whose origin is from of old, from ancient days. Therefore he shall give them up until the time when she who is in labor has brought forth; then the rest of his kindred shall return to the people of Israel. And he shall stand and feed his flock in the strength of the LORD, in the majesty of the name of the LORD his God. And they shall live secure, for now he shall be great to the ends of the earth; and he shall be the one of peace.…”
This work does not purport to be iconography, per se: I hold the tradition of icon-writing in high esteem, and am as one on the outside looking in. I am making contemporary works that are at times in dialogue with this ancient form.
Soupiset, Paul. He Shall Be The One Of Peace. [2012]. Acrylic, Gouache, Metal Leaf on the verso side of a 1972 Harmony electric guitar body; 15.5″ x 21″. Collection of Darrell Smith, San Antonio.
