Last Supper

48" x 72"
Oil
1998

Many artists through many centuries have painted the Last Supper in many variations. Nobody ever had a record of the event and if we go back a couple of thousand years, and we understand the mood of the people then, we would realize that religion and magic were very important realities.

Philosophy, geometry, mathematics, and religions were the main themes of conversations among intellectuals and educated peoples. At that time, there were many scribes, prophets, avatars, religious fanatics who, when they got together, their predominant conversations and disputes were about the religion of the past and present, and the coming of the Messiah. They all uttered their differences passionately and loudly, if not to even more violent expressions. Just imagine how many passionate and contradictory statements, and how many scribes would write many happenings, truths, and lies because they "knew the reality".

So, I decided to paint the magic dozen together at the table, with the Teacher in the middle, all commotioned in religious fervor. The dinner was not about food; but rather an expression of their doubts and questions. Who? Who? What? What? So, here we have a crowd of different characters...the good ones, the bad ones, the passives, and the activists...locked to themselves in passionate righteousness.

In the middle, the Teacher, with chalice in front on the table, seems to be beyond time and passions, and a little bit skeptical about his disciples. I painted a bare table; on the left, I put money; on the opposite end, light, in the form of a candle, and a timeless chalice in the center. The table is very clean, representing virtue; it is like in life, it looks so clean and correct.

But let's look into a lower level, here, underneath the table. Suddenly it is not so clear. In the twilight we begin to distinguish some little creatures, the nameless ones. The whole scene I put in an unreal light. We don't know what time it is. Little or big monsters are not dangerous as soon as we recognize that every one of us is nurturing them inside ourselves. If we deny that we have any of them, that they don't exist, then...they become all powerful and take over, in various subtle and not-so-subtle ways, over us. Then we are in trouble. I hope it is not so...but life will let us know..