This series of prints creating a visual narrative of the crucifixion story.

The work is inspired by the overarching idea of Jesus as a common man who lives amongst his people who were earthy, chaotic and angrily rebellious under the dominion of the Roman Empire.

Artist’s Statement: 

The exhibition comprises 11 framed prints 300 mm x 420mm, which were produced over a 3-year period, from 2023 – 2025. The works are intended to be viewed or ‘read’ as a series or frieze, which storyboards a visual narrative of the journey to crucifixion, of a man named Jesus, who is initially betrayed by one of his followers, then is judged and sentenced to death by Caiaphas and the Sanhedrin. Later, Pontius Pilate, the Roman Governor of Judaea, gives the final judgement of death to Jesus: 

I was inspired to begin this series after reading The Last Temptation of Christ, by Nikos Kazantzakis (First English translation from the Greek, 1960.) The novel presents the overarching idea of Jesus as an ordinary person living amongst his people who lived primitively and were earthy, chaotic, and angrily rebellious under the dominion of the Roman Empire. 

Kazantzakis brought his characters to life using powerful descriptive passages, and my goal was to ‘flesh out’ his words with drawings that soon evolved into lino prints. 

Kazantzakis describes Jesus, “It was not a beautiful face, but it had a hidden disquieting charm. Were his eyelashes to blame? Thick and exceedingly long, they threw a strange blue shadow over the entire face. Or were his eyes responsible? They were large and black, full of light, full of darkness – all intimidation and sweetness. Flickering like those of a snake, they stared at you from between the long lashes and your head reeled.” 

A village where Jesus may have lived, is depicted by Kazantzakis, therefore, placing this unusual man in context: “The village’s respiration could be heard now in the quiet of the night, the breathing of many breasts, many souls. A dog barked mournfully; from time to time a tree rustled in the wind. A mother at the edge of the village lulled her child to sleep, slowly, movingly...the night filled with murmurs and sighs he knew and loved. The earth was speaking.” 

During the processes of drawing and printmaking, I felt compelled to show the interaction between the characters in this sad story, and I hoped to do this through focusing on their facial expressions, and the crowding of figures tightly packed within the Gothic arches; 

The bold colours, a limited palette, linearity, and use of shallow picture space characterize the prints’ style. I use the Gothic pointed arch to frame the works, as a homage to the early illuminated manuscripts,14th century works of Duccio, altarpieces of Jan Van Eyck and Matthias Grunewald. 

The gold leaf forming the flaming halos of light framing Jesus, allude to his importance throughout 21 centuries of the Western world; he was a  rare man who believed in the rights of minorities; women, children, the old, the sick, and animals, during a time in history when all life was underrated and ‘might was right.’   - Svetlana Parmenter

 Works are available framed and unframed.