 | "Retablo de la Virgen Indigena" by J. Michael Walker. |
Mexico's most renowned religious icon is a focus of the exhibition "Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe: J. Michael Walker's Life with the Virgin and Saints," on view Oct. 10-Nov. 30 at the Institute for Sacred Music (ISM), 409 Prospect St.
An Arkansas native, Walker has said that he was culturally and spiritually transformed by a lengthy stay in the Sierra Tarahumara of northern Mexico. The sacred themes presented in this exhibition reflect the artist's immersion in the story of Our Lady of Guadalupe and the legends of the saints.
Since 1995, Walker has created a series of works depicting Mexico's patron saint, The Virgin of Guadalupe, as a real Mexican woman of Indian descent, engaged in the myriad daily tasks by which women "hold the world together." The artist has said that his imagery flows from an apocryphal revelation in his studio, in which he perceived Guadalupe and her attendant angel to "free" themselves from their iconic positions, to come down from their pedestals into the three-dimensional space of the artist's studio. This "vision," he said, permitted him to place María in a physical, three-dimensional space without disrespecting her rich Mexican traditions.
More recently, the artist's attention has focused on the vast number of streets in Los Angeles named after saints -- San Julian, Santa Monica and Santa Clara, to name a few. The works inspired by these street names, said the artist, bear witness to the rich Mexican and Catholic tradition present in Los Angeles since the 18th century.
"Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe: J. Michael Walker's Life with the Virgin and Saints" is open to the public free of charge weekdays 9 a.m.-4 p.m. There will be a reception for the artist on Thursday, Oct. 27, 4:306 p.m. in ISM's Great Hall. After being exhibited at Yale, most of the works will travel to New York to the National Museum of Catholic Art and History, where they will be on display from Dec. 10 to Aug. 30.
The exhibition is presented by ISM with support from the Divinity School. For more information, visit www.yale.edu/ism or call (203) 432-5062.
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