Doug Blanchard's Art

This is a series of 24 panels depicting the Passion of Christ painted between 2001 and 2005.

I am not interested in the literal history of the death of Jesus.  As far as I¹m concerned, the historical Jesus of Nazareth is an irretrievably alien figure to us, inhabiting a world that no longer exists, speaking a language almost no one speaks anymore.

I am much more interested in the story.  What does that story mean to us now on the far end of the 20th century?   What is it about the death of Jesus that remains so remarkable among the deaths of thousands and thousands of other innocent young men unjustly condemned throughout history?  Why should this death be remarkable in light of everyone¹s death?

I decided to remake the traditional image of Jesus.   I wanted to make him charismatic and attractive; as someone who touches and is touched.  I wanted to make him a physical being of flesh and blood; not some semi-abstract Byzantine Pantocrator.  I wanted to make the body and flesh of Jesus teach compassion to the spirit through its suffering.  I wanted that same flesh to be made radiant by the spirit at the Resurrection.  

I hope to present in this series a more humane and radically transformative vision of Christianity.    In the story of the death and resurrection of Christ, the whole grim arithmetic of power and powerlessness, by which the world has always worked is pitched out of the window.  It is that profoundly egalitarian and anarchist aspect of Christianity that keeps me with it; the idea that love is the great monkey-wrench thrown into the smooth workings of our ambitions and designs for power.  It is through love that we transcend history  Through love, we transcend death.

That is the religious vision I hope to present in this series.

Each of the Passion pictures is oil on wood panel, 18 inches by 14 inches. 

Barbara Crafton+ 

I dedicated this series to the Reverend Barbara Crafton,

former rector of St. Clement's Episcopal Church in New York City.

She has helped me, and numerous other people, through many rough spots.

Her generosity in deed and spirit makes her an exemplary Christian.