Christ with Cartoons

Our latest addition to Saint Mark’s collection of Sacred Art is Christ with Cartoons, a ceramic work by longtime parishioner and renowned artist Maria Magdalena Suarez, born in Venezuela, 1929.

Through this unique and expressive work, she offers our community a beautiful reflection on Christ through the language of art.

Maria Magdalena chose to create her crucifix in a medieval romanesque style that rather expresses the triumphant Christ than the suffering Jesus. Here, our Savior is fully dressed, almost enthroned on his cross and doesn't wear a crown of thorns. The awkward position of the hands and the nails in his feet are the only elements that point to his suffering.

Unique for Maria's work is the presence of modern cartoon characters on the cross. It signifies that Christ has conquered the world but chooses to remain present in it, to draw us closer to the Father.

Master builder Marcus Reyes mounted the ceramic parts on a dark melamine board for enhanced visual expression.