"Jesus Checking in @ Gethsamane Diner with 12 Others" - Large Scale Pop Art Painting
Set after the Last Supper, this large-scale pop art painting relocates the biblical scene to the “Gethsemane Diner,” a contemporary reimagining of the garden where Christ awaits his arrest. Christ stands centered as a modern icon, with a window bearing a cross behind him. He is surrounded by disciples rendered as stylized, fashion-driven figures. Each figure was inspired by models from 1970's Vogue Magazine.
Each disciple bears a distinct symbol that functions as a personal identifier, replacing traditional religious attributes with graphic, brand-like emblems on the clothing. On the far left, Judas is unmistakable, wearing sunglasses and flashing finger guns, his betrayal recast as a casual, performative gesture. Judas' glove bears the number 30, a reference to the silver paid for the betrayal.
This piece merges pop art, religious symbolism, and fashion iconography to create a bold retelling of shared cultural stories, a critique of celebrity-as-deity, and the value of image and iconography.
Signed in the lower left corner "P Walsh" and in several places on verso.
Titled on verso, with the names of each disciple.
No frame, but the edges are painted for a frame-less display.
Prevenance: Directly commissioned by a collector, then acquired from that collector.
Peter Walsh is an artist from Chicago, Il. Inspired by his paternal grandfather and mother – both artists – he was constantly drawing throughout his childhood, into his service with the US Air Force, and in college. Although he studied political science, he continued to pursue art until he began to sell paintings at group shows. From there, he pushed himself to make art that he loves, unconcerned with the rules of traditional art. “I consider myself lucky that I didn’t major in art. I haven’t had anyone ever say to me, “You can’t do that.” I have always created for myself. I love color, layering color, mixing paint on canvas, and then sanding, scraping, and scratching it to find new colors, depths, and figures.”
(biography adapted from VoyageChicago, March 27, 2018)
Selected Exhibitions, Awards, and Events:
2020 - Kimono Paintings...
Category
21st Century and Contemporary Pop Art Figurative Paintings
MaterialsAcrylic, Canvas, Stretcher Bars
