Christ-Like

Breonna Taylor and Mother in Front of The Tomb

acrylic on canvas

48" x 60"

For the month of November, the Speck Gallery will exhibit Israel Solomon’s figurative paintings. This body of work, titled Christ-Like, was made as a result of Solomon’s receiving Faith, Justice & the Arts grant from St. Paul’s Indy Episcopal Church. These paintings depict individuals who have been brutalized or murdered due to police brutality. Solomon seeks to draw comparisons of martyrdom between Jesus Christ and these individuals. 

Solomon defines martyr and brings it into a modern context: “A martyr is someone who dies for a cause. They may have been killed by choice. They may have chosen their fate in a sense; if you’re a protester, you know you gamble your life when you protest because anything could happen. Growing up in the Christian faith, I was taught that Jesus was the ultimate sacrifice or martyr.”

Some of the individuals Solomon commemorates are; George Floyd, Trayvon Martin, Breonna Taylor, Sandra Bland, and Atatiana Jefferson. Many of the paintings place these individuals in scenes that depict moments from Jesus’s death and resurrection. 

Tyre Nichols as Christ

acrylic on canvas

48" x 60"

“Jesus was for those who were oppressed. He was a polarizing figure. These individuals are polarizing figures. Trayvon is an example– I believe he was innocent, and the individual who did it should’ve been found guilty, but then there are individuals who believe the complete opposite of what I believe, so that makes it polarizing. Jesus didn’t die in vain, and I would like to believe that the other individuals featured in the show also did not die in vain.” 

Solomon hopes the show will spark conversations around societal change and that it offers viewers a chance to listen to voices that have been overlooked: “There are so many different things going on in American culture. Something happens, and we forget about it in 15 minutes. A lot of these things have happened recently. We had strong feelings. I am trying to create this work as a reminder of this issue.”

The show can be viewed anytime during the month of November during Gallery Hours: Monday – Friday from 9 a.m. - 5 p.m. The works can additionally be viewed and purchased on our online gallery through December.