Vision 2015

The Cloisters Last Supper/Inversion of the Sacred Triptych Project:
My earlier watercolor painting series such as “McDonald’s Hamburgers Invading Japan Series” was exhibited in Los Angeles, the various thematic series have evolved. From the early 90’s to present, I had created interrelated series such as Confessional Series, US Inquisition Series and most recently The Cloisters Last Supper Series.

Each narrative painting creates a fantastical aesthetic world where human folly and dilemma are expressed in such a way that the beauty and ugliness of human activity and psyche thrive in a complex visual poetic statement.

The Cloisters Last Supper/Inversion of the Sacred Project addresses Catholic clergy sex abuse in relation to Individual rights, gay rights and same gender marriage v authoritative institution. Women predominate the compositions and assert their sexuality in the narrative paintings. How Catholic Church had dealt with rampant sexual abuse and pedophile scandals had become the focus of the series while juxtaposing what individual rights ought to be. The authoritative institution tries to dictate individuals regarding sexual relationship, gender and moral issues. Pope Benedict had condemned ordination of women priest is as criminal as pedophilia recently. Presenting such a shocking statement on a last supper table may be an appropriate place to start a dialog - to investigate the anatomy of Catholic clergy sexual abuse. 

Catholic Church had been inundated by societal secularism and that the archaic institution has faced unprecedented cultural and ideological challenges from outside. The Cloisters Last Supper Series touched upon the issues that are flash points to the Catholic Church re In vitro fertilization, abortion, and ordination of a female or gay Pope. This seems in stark contrast to the Vatican- the world’s most secretive institution that preaches celibacy, abstinence and misogyny.

It is surprisingly such a firm stance against USA's progressive feminists oriented Roman Catholic churches. Virtually the ancient and absolutely secretive institution seems to have gone upside down recently in terms of their long rigid cultural history.

How Renaissance artists had painted those nude figures abundantly in the Catholic Church's murals and religious paintings. I could not figure out how Catholic Church had supported Renaissance artists who unabashedly depicted those nude figures while they teach celibacy. Something seemed to be so incongruous. Catholic Church faces huge complex problem within and that had stemmed from the church's moral chaos with celibacy, abstinence and financial corruption that have dwindled down the institution’s credibility and spirituality.

The Vatican's history and culture as an institution with a worldwide influence has inspired me, especially since fundamental human equality issues have always been at the top of my priorities list. How does the Catholic Church’s teaching of celibacy fit into Michelangelo’s Sistine Chapel painting? How could the nudity depicted in those masterpieces support anti gay and anti same sex marriage? Putting these puzzles together I see how brilliantly the Vatican has evaded Catholic clergy sex abuse issues for centuries and how all these bits of historical information can be knit together today where the medieval church meets a new generation of I-Phone and I-Pad culture. 

Top Panels:  A medieval time plague masked doctor symbolically represent the relationship between his patient and the breast cancer doctor himself. It seems as if he was a Spanish Inquisition prosecutor and a poor breast cancer patient was devastated by this kind of authority figure working in the hospital’s oncology department. The struggle between an authoritative doctor over the cancer patient reminds me of Vatican v powerless sexually abused victims. Women's precious breasts are severed and left laying on the floor without any respect. A floating giant squid symbolically addresses the Catholic Church’s hypocritical practices- celibacy and clergy sexual abuse v humanity. The Cloisters Last Supper/Eve and Giant Squid Hunters  investigate  the Catholic Church's global clergy sex abuse scandals  by showing women who carry physical and emotional scars on their bodies as they struggle through devastating experiences attempting to leave them behind, hoping to establish a more equal rights oriented social environment and culture. While one Pope is taking “Sexuality 101” lessons with a potty chair another Pope in a red robe is hula hooping because he cannot handle his own sexuality while investigating assertive women. A hooded Catholic church member in Saville joins in as a woman has taken the banner from his arms to combat the hooded head church prelate. A baptism priest is trying to catch women like prey. A strong woman is breaking out of his fishing net. 

Bottom Panels:  Eve stands as if she were an adult ballerina. The Pope is discussing financial compensation issues for sex abuse victims with his lawyer. A bishop says "I hate transparency in life” “I hate the I-Phone, I-Pad, Twitter and FaceBook generation since we keep losing our secret archival information. A cardinal says, “Scandalous Catholic priests’ sexual abuse news has already spread globally at a historically large scale.” 

A crawling iguana implies the creepiness of a ghostly ancient cardinal trying to dictate what women should do with their bodies. A squid ink spaghetti dinner splashes all over the table like BP's oil spill in Gulf of Mexico. 

Top Panels:  A geisha and a woman guard replace the Pope's Swiss Guards. One of the woman guards squeezes her milk tank to subdue the hot headed Pope. The geisha sighs, "Oh my, this ancient ghostly man's head is so hard and rigid. Ready to explode. Hurry up, buddy, subdue the creepy guy’s head!“

In the meantime a “Ph.D” Geisha arrives from Tokyo to Vatican. She is a new generation geisha who works internationally. She wants to meet with Pope to discuss a liberated view of women. Her mission is to educate the Pope for humanity, human sexuality and equality. The Pope takes “Sexuality 101” class as required subject matter to become a genuine geisha. The Japanese government subsidizes geisha culture in some province as cultural heritage. Momotaro, (historically, geisha often take boy’s names) hopes to recruit new geishas at the Vatican! Only about 85 women live at the Vatican. In Japan there are about 200 geisha in the entire country. Both cultures have significant iconic images that appeal to a significant worldwide audience. Momotaro says, “Some geisha are university graduates nowadays. “Watashiha tatami ichijo areba, dokoedemo tonde ikimasuyo. Yoroshiku onegai itashimasu!” If you could provide me a tatami mattress, I will fly anywhere you are. I would be more than happy to come entertain you with my gei/art if you could prepare one tatami mattress for me

Bottom Panels:  What if Michelangelo’s Pieta is role reversed by Madonna and Geisha, how the vision might look like. The Cloisters Last Supper/Madonna and Geisha Pieta attests against Catholic Church’s anti - gay institution. The narrative asserts a humanitarian attitude based on equity. A confessor in the confessional room awaits his penitents or customers to come to confess but hardly he has customers.

How many ballerinas does it take to change the historically rigid institution's single red light bulb in the ancient traditional confessor booth? Noticeably interesting thing about the Italian confessional booth has a hot red light bulb. I had seen the priest pacing back and forth in front of the confessional room as if it were a red light district? I had wondered. How many ballerinas does it take to replace the red light bulb? A severed Pope’s head with the bras on the plate perhaps imply the institution's hidden historical record re the clergy sex abuse.   

A condescending komodo dragon symbolically reflects perhaps clergy’s hidden desire that comes out to the surface whenever it gets chance. It is ready to eat Madonna. 

High tech transparent culture invades the Vatican! Vatican’s sexual abuse records had been exposed in the current transparent cultural climate.

A pregnant woman figure replaces Pope's staff Christ figure. Woman offers Viagra to a bishop. "Oh, you, poor guy, your head is not even straight. What's wrong with you? Wake up!!!!!!  Take Viagra!” 

RE: Mannequins:

One day Lynda brought these mannequins back for me. She bought them from the Sears when they closed the store. I admit my anatomy can be so bad sometime that the mannequins may help my anatomical drawing. Cheers!

Top panels:  Woman Pope holds a pregnant woman staff. Bras imply hidden history of Catholic clergy sexual abuse. Her mouth freedom speech was taped and shut. A severed Barbie Doll's head perhaps implies traumatic experiences with the Catholic priests sexual abuse were etched not only in their emotion but also in their physical bodies. A severed Barbie Doll's head implies many women who were sexually abused thrown away as if they were trashes. Ropanzo is being penalized while she was called the masturbation master. A tiny little infant Pope is learning how to suck genuine milk from a woman. The baby pope was so deprived from genuine milk that the woman has saved up three extra milk bottles in her hand. Ropanzo is being penalized while she was labeled a masturbation master. A tiny little infant Pope is learning how to suck the woman’s breasts. Rubber rope is a stretch exercise rope. The bras imply the hidden history. Prosthetic parts coming down from the sky implies Catholic faith that is based on curing body parts. 

Bottom Panels:  A ghostly Pope, cardinals and bishops investigate what women’s sexuality should be all about. They want to dictate women as what women should do with their bodies. The new digital global generation predominates the narrative. Same sex marriage and gender issue are not even become a topic among the new generation. Vatican the ancient institution faces profound cultural dilemma while they wish to go back to the rigid Catholic Church "Archaic Institution" of the absolute secrecy. Ever since Catholic clergy sex abuse scandal have irrupted, the Cloisters Last Supper may well mean their last supper for the most secretive Vatican. Barbie Doll boxer is on a plate. A priest holding a joystick says, “A joystick is no problem for us since we can convert it into a holy stick”. A blue robed nun on the Bibles and an Islamic woman argue about their faith or personal relationships? A priest holding a joystick or masturbation stick says.