A New Passion Series

I've embarked on a new Passion of Christ series eleven years after finishing the first Passion of Christ that is now the subject of Kittredge Cherry's book The Passion of Christ:  A Gay Vision.

A number of people (including Kittredge Cherry) asked for a long time if I would consider doing the Passion again.  Last year, I finally decided to do it.  I've made a number of changes, and I anticipate that as the series progresses it will depart from the earlier one even more.  I decided to limit the number of panels to 20 instead of 24.  Instead of painting them on panel, I am painting the new series on canvas in a larger size, 26 inches by 26 inches, a square format.  I discarded the faux frames and the numbering.  I decided to paint the series up to the Resurrection panel in monochrome; in a black not from a tube, but made by mixing raw umber with ultramarine blue. 
I decided to make Christ not white.  I made him racially ambiguous, but definitely not white.  He will also be less solitary.  The disciples will play more of a a role, and He will not be crucified alone, but between two criminals.  Those same two criminals will share in His burial and resurrection.  I plan other changes in the story as well from the old series.  I am still figuring them out.

In the meantime, I have finished five panels so far.  Here they are photographed by Stephen Bates.

Emanuel with Job and Isaiah

The tattoo on his chest says עִמָּ֫נוּאֵ֫ל "Immanuel" or "God with us."

Job

 Isaiah

Jesus Enters the City

 

The Last Supper

Jesus Prays Alone

Jesus is Arrested

I began work on this new Passion in the summer of 2016.  I plan to finish the series -- or at lest most of it -- by sometime in 2020.  I'm working on panels 6 and 7 now with plans for 8 and 9 under way.