9/11 The Deposition

24 x 48 inches
mixed media on panel
4000.

This painting began in 2003 after the tragedy of 9/11. The photograph of the firefighters carrying out their chaplain reminded me of a modern pieta, It also reminded me of Carravaggio’s Deposition of Christ. I attached a black and white copy of Carravaggio’s painting to the top half of this piece. On the lower portain,  I did a hand drawn image of the firefighters, its earthly counterpart.

At the top of this Deposition are the words taken from Revelation 3:14ff  I counsel you to buy from Me, gold refined in the fire, that you may be rich, and white garments that you may be clothed, that the shame of your nakedness may not be revealed; and anoint your eyes with eye salve that you may see,” written to the last church of Laodicea. It calls viewers to repentance.

In the center are pages torn from Isaiah 42: 18 ff “Hear you deaf, and look you blind that you may see.”
Painted over 20 years ago, it now seems more and more relevant as hidden information comes to light. ” Have no fear of them, for nothing is covered that will not be revealed or hidden that will not be known,” Matthew 10;26.

I added the white ladder connecting “heaven” -where the Word of God opens like wings, to the red bloodied “earth” of 9/11 below. This “fireman’s” ladder symbolizes the connection between heaven and earth.