2005
oil on canvas
36" X 48"
This is more or less a fantasy painting.
Since my childhood I have visualized this painting. When I was growing up we had a best of Life magazine book. It was filled with many famous works from the photographers employed by the magazine. One of the pictures is of the three leaders of the main components of the Alliance during WWII: Winston Churchill of Great Britain, Franklin Delano Roosevelt of the United States, and Josef Stalin of the United Soviet Socialist Republic. They were called the big three and met at Malta to discuss strategy. In the photo, Roosevelt is flanked by Churchill on the left and Stalin on the right.
Over the years I have envisioned many people sitting on that bench (in the original photo each has an individual chair), but have long envisioned the three leaders of the dominant western religions. They are: Moses of Judaism, Jesus of Christianity, and Mohammed of Islam.
I guess it is a sort of what if image. What would they talk about? I have thrown some dynamics in the painting. Jesus and Moses are engaged in a conversation. Mohammed listens. Both Jesus and Moses are Jewish. Moses is chosen by God to lead his people out of oppression and to their promised land. By receiving the Ten Commandments, Moses is an intricate character in the definition of the Hebrews. He didn't ask for the job, but he did it. he is an old man and although he is engaged, he would just as soon be feeding pigeons. Jesus is the Rabbi, the teacher. A religious prodigy who seems to innately know more about those things that everyone else. In other words Enlightened. Whether a predestined martyr or victim of politics, his words and actions will give birth to the worlds most populated belief; Christianity. Jesus is passionate in making his point. Mohammed is the vehicle of God to reveal the Q'ran. Mohammed can neither read nor write, but articulates what is communicated to him by Allah, through the Archangel Gabriel. Mohammed's revelations will establish Islam. He listens with intent.
They could be talking about football. How the Redskins will dominate the NFL this season. (Jesus is a known Redskin fan. I heard Doug Williams thank him one time.) In this image, three men sitting on a bench, in a park, having a discussion.
What if?
NOTE: It is against the beliefs of Islam to create, in any aspect, images of Mohammed. I am neither Islamic nor am I portraying Mohammed in an irreverent manner. Peace!