The connection between my art, New Orleans and the South are often blatantly obvious. Not so much with this piece without understanding its history a bit more deeply. New Orleans and many of its inhabitants, myself included, can claim to have “grown up Catholic.” An important milestone in that part of our culture was a visit by Pope John Paul II in 1987. The pavilion where the Pope said mass still stands in the fields of the University of New Orleans’ lakefront arena. 

This portrait depicts a statue of the Pope at a nearby cemetery that stands in commemoration of his visit. The colors depict the stone of the statue standing in the warm sun, while also symbolizing the reverence and saintliness imbued upon the man. You might be as likely to encounter this presence welcoming you into the next realm as you would driving down City Park Avenue.

While I appreciate the peace and gentleness conveyed in his facial expression, the real highlight of this painting is the open right hand and sleeve falling gently into the folds of his garment. The details of those elements allow the viewer to get lost in the overall composition, as the cuff and button of his sleeve melt away into abstract shapes that flow and interact across the body of the painting.

This piece can be appreciated as a reflection of faith or belief, but can be equally taken as a reduction into iconography symbolizing a part of the city’s identity and history.