Mixed media oilgraph on canvas with blood // 36” x 36"

The journey is over. Jesus arrives at Golgotha; the place where He is to die. As He collapses under His cross, not even the soldier moves. What remains to be done will be carried out by other hands.

“Too late

You pitch over the cliff
of yourself
and the earth rushes
gaping at your face

A rock like lightening brings
Silence

For the first time
Silence

Then somewhere
from an ocean you hear
'Get up. It's time.'

But it doesn't matter anymore
Nothing matters anymore

Golgotha...
Hungry Golgotha
You are already here”

***

I wanted this scene to feel as if a bomb had gone off and this was the aftermath. Everything is still - Jesus, the soldier, Simon and even the sky. We staged the scene with a cinder block hidden beneath the cross to bear its weight.

While painting, a shape appeared in the sky like some creature or angel. I decided to keep it since it seemed to belong.

JESUS: Paolo Durrazzo
SOLDIER: Cameron Church
SIMON: Howard Karesh