New York, NY (PRWEB) May 07, 2012
An exhibit of sacred art – “Arcanum Angelorum” (Mystery of the Angels) – with works by Guillermo Esparza, award-winning, internationally recognized American iconographer, painter, and sculptor, will be displayed in The Church of St. Paul The Apostle, Lincoln Center in New York City, Rev. Gilbert Martinez, CSP, Pastor. The opening reception is on Thursday, May 10th from 7 to 9 pm, with live performance by composer Maria Andriasova Esparza at the piano, and the show runs through June 7, 2012. The exhibit is presented by Openings NY, a project of the Paulist Fathers established by Rev. Frank Sabatte, CSP, and will feature Esparzas most recent monumental mural painting of the Many-Eyed (Red) Seraph, a part of the triptych of mural of The Pantokrator and accompanying Green and Red Seraphim, as well as podlennik of the mural of The Pantokrator with tetramorphs of the Evangelists and Archangels Gabriel and Michael. It runs in conjunction with Guillermo Esparzas on-going exhibit at The Basilica of St. Patricks Old Cathedral, where he is the artist-in-residence, and it runs through 2016 in celebrations of the Cathedrals 200-year anniversary. Composer Maria Andriasova Esparza will be making live appearance performing her award-winning score to a documentary film Guillermo Esparza, An American Iconographer, an original production by Los Angeles film maker Veronica Aberham for London-based Studio International.
According to early Christian history, the tradition of iconography was established approximately 1,000 years before the Renaissance. It is based on golden-mean proportions and related geometry, Byzantine modules, exact anatomy, inverse perspective, and multi-perspective philosophy. In my works, I strive to preserve the traditions of the medieval painters. What inspires me is light penetrating the transparent colors of egg tempera, reflecting back from the gesso ground. In sculpture, it is the super emanating light coming from white marble, reflecting the heart of the shellfish: fiat lux. Guillermo Esparza.
Many-Eyed (Red) Six-Winged Seraph, part of the triptych of mural of The Pantokrator, The Deisis and accompanying Green and Red Six-Winged Seraphim
By Guillermo Esparza
Oil and 24-k gold on Belgian linen
5 ft by 8 ft
2012
The Basilica of St. Patricks Old Cathedral
Collection of Maria Andriasova and Guillermo Esparza
Guillermo Esparzas monumental mural painting of the Many-Eyed (Red) Six-Winged Seraph, 5 ft by 8 ft, is a part of the triptych of mural of The Pantokrator, The Deisis, and accompanying Green and Red Six-Winged Seraphim. The mural of The Pantokrator and its accompanying Green Six-Winged Seraph are presently installed at The Basilica of St. Patricks Old Cathedral, where Esparza is the artist-in-residence. The installation of the Many-Eyed (Red) Six-Winged Seraph at The Church of St. Paul The Apostle runs in conjunction with Guillermo Esparzas on-going exhibit Arcanum Angelorum (Mystery of the Angels) at The Basilica of St. Patricks Old Cathedral, where Esparzas exhibit runs through 2016 in celebrations of the Cathedrals 200-year anniversary, and are on loan from Maria Andriasova and Guillermo Esparzas private collection. The mural Icon of the Pantokrator, the Deisis, depicts Christ in His Majesty (Majestas Domini). The figure to the left of Christ is John the Baptist, Prodromos, the Fore-Runner. The figure to the right of Christ is the Virgin, Theotokos, Mother of God. The Deisis means prayer, or supplication. The blessing of the mural Icon of The Pantokrator and the Green Six-Winged Seraph was celebrated by Msgr. Donald Sakano, The Basilica’s presiding pastor in 2010.
Podlennik (original drawing) of the mural of The Pantokrator with Tetramorphs of the Evangelists and Archangels Gabriel and Michael
By Guillermo Esparza
Conte on mylar
15 ft by 20 ft
2001 2012
Cathedral of the Incarnation in Garden City, New York
Part of the collection of the U.S. National Archives
Podlennik of the mural of The Pantokrator with tetramorphs of the Evangelists and Archangels Gabriel and Michael by Guillermo Esparza. Podlennik is the original drawing for Guillermo Esparzas Mural Icon of the Pantokrator, 15 foot by 20 foot painting in oil and 24 karat gold on Belgian linen, which is permanently installed 60 feet above the nave of the Cathedral of the Incarnation in Garden City, New York, and is a gift from the Very Rev. Robert V. Wilshire, who served for 20 years as Dean of the Cathedral, seat of the Long Island Episcopal Diocese. The Rt. Rev. James Cordone and The Rt. Rev. Orris G. Walker Jr., Bishop of Long Island, were also instrumental in having this project funded and realized.
Icon of the Virgin of the Passion, also known as Our Lady of Perpetual Help
By Guillermo Esparza
Egg tempera and 24-karat gold on panel
2008-2009
The Basilica of St. Patricks Old Cathedral, New York, New York
Private collection
Icon of the Ecumanicae
By Guillermo Esparza
Egg tempera and 24-karat gold on panel
2010
The Basilica of St. Patricks Old Cathedral, New York, New York
Private collection
Ecumenical sculpture
By Guillermo Esparza
Silver, Bronze, Platinum
1995
Permanent collection, The Vatican Museum, Rome
Permanent collection, The Phanar, Istanbul, Turkey
Commissioned by Archbishop Iakovos, Archbishop of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of North and South America, funded by the American Greek Orthodox community and a Catholic community of the US. His Eminence Archbishop Iakovos presented the silver sculptures to the representative of the Ecumenical Patriarchate. The Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew I, on his historic visit to the Vatican, presented the sculpture to His Holiness Pope John Paul II, and kept the other sculpture at the Phanar in Constantinople.
About Guillermo Esparza:
Guillermo Esparza is an award winning internationally recognized American iconographer, painter and sculptor with collections at the US national archives, the Phanar in Istanbul, Turkey, the Vatican Museum in Rome, Italy, Smithsonian American Art Museum, as well as numerous cathedrals, churches, museums, and private as well as public collections internationally. He is the artist-in-residence for the Basilica of St. Patricks Old Cathedral in Manhattan, New York.
Born in San Antonio, TX, and raised in San Francisco Bay area, Guillermo Esparza began his career as an environmental sculptor, creating public fountains and monuments in the Southwest. He came to New York in 1988 to learn the art of the Orthodox. After extensive study of scripture and sacred art, he spent many years in the restoration of churches and icons for the Byzantine Catholic Community. He studied iconography with Michael Joseph Dudick, Bishop of the Byzantine Catholic Metropolitan Church of Pittsburgh, the U.S. branch of the Ruthenian Catholic Church.
An ecumenicist, Mr. Esparza has been awarded important commissions by churches of many denominations, and his original works are installed in Episcopal, Roman Catholic, Byzantine Catholic, and Greek Orthodox Churches. Mr. Esparzas murals for Episcopal, Roman Catholic, Byzantine Catholic and Greek Orthodox churches have had the great distinction of being declared Icons. A visionary in the world of public art in the US, Mr. Esparza is the first recipient of the Percent-For-Art public commission from the State of Arizona in 1986, thus opening the door to the next generation of artists competing for public commissions. Guillermo Esparza has been honored for his work by His All Holiness Bartholomew I, His Holiness the late Pope John Paul II, and New York Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg, among others. Mr. Esparza
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