Casting Jesus (2011) &
The Holy Artwork (2001)
From 12 to 22 June — 12 to 6 p.m.
Basement of SNS bank, Eiffelgebouw, Petrus Regoutplein 3, Maastricht
Free entrance
Christian Jankowski — Casting Jesus (2011)
Double screen, 60 min.
In preparation for Casting Jesus, Jankowski asked a casting agency in Rome to provide actors to audition for the role of Jesus. The 13 who showed up competed according to casting show procedure – similar to what’s seen on American Idol.
in the Complesso Santo Spirito in Sassia, Rome – a hospital for pilgrims in medieval times the actors were judged by a distinguished panel of real Vatican members: Rev. Msgr. Jos. Manuel Del Río Carrasco; Sandro Barbagallo, art critic at the Vatican newspaper L’Osservatore Romano; and Massimo Giraldi, journalist and secretary of the Commission for Film Classification of the Italian Bishop Conference.
The contestants competed in various tasks, including breaking bread, performing a miracle, and carrying the cross. In addition, they delivered dramatic interpretations of quotes, taken from the Bible, spoken by Jesus. In a separate space, an audience was able to watch the procedure projected on a large screen via live stream.
Besides the video installation, Jankowski had photographs taken of all the Jesus contestants in action and paired these with quotes from the jury about their decision. The Monsignor also took a picture of the winner with his smartphone, which Jankowski then turned into a series of prayer cards (complete with a psalm of the Monsignor’s choosing). Whereas it used to be that the church supported art, here the initiative came from art – to support the church’s imagination of its iconography.
Christian Jankowski — The Holy Artwork (2001)
Single screen, 15:52 min.
During a televised church service at the evangelical Harvest Fellowship Church in Texas, Pastor Peter Spencer invites Jankowski to the stage – as previously agreed upon by the two. Video Camera in hand, Jankowski climbs the steps but suddenly collapses at the feed of the TV pastor, where he remains motionless. In that moment, the view seen in the video The Holy Artwork changes from Jankowski’s handheld camera to that of the church’s studio set. Pastor Spencer uses the opportunity to preach to his lively congregation – as well as TV audiences and future art audiences – about the indivisibility of artistic creativity and the creative force of God. Jankowski’ s performance is a >>holy artwork<< that bridges art, religion, and television. The pastor then asks the congregation in the church and watching on TV to pray for the future of the artwork. Afterwards, the artist gets back on his feet; only by first relinquishing control over the form and the authorship of the work was Jankowski able to speak to audiences
