Stations of the Cross, Created for Good Friday services for House of Mercy. Installed in Zion Lutheran Church – St. Paul, MN

The purpose of this body of work is not only to retell the story of Christ’s final hours on Earth, but to gain a new perspective on what it means to be uniquely human. Observe a cast of characters, who reflect contemporary societies as well as ancient ones, as they are forced to face the difficult realities of hope and loss. Each tells the story; Our Story.

In this translation, we are all Christ, we are all the antagonist, we are all the protagonist. The bright concept of hope is carried throughout this work as a dash of pink that cannot be concealed. Some are helpless bystanders, watching a tragedy unfold. Others are forced into precarious situations, while others make bold, radical declarations of their faith. Even in death, hope is not lost.

The cross takes on an ambiguous black shape, that grows and changes over time. Much like our own personal burdens, it starts out small. Its heaviness is hard to get a hold of until it grows, becoming something that consumes us. Still, that burden is somehow precious, and necessary to our very sense of self.

Even as a child, Jesus knew the role he would be called to play in our salvation. He knew the suffering his human form would endure. While he could conceptualize it in his mind, I believe he did not fully understand his sacrifice until he was in the throws of experiencing it. Following Christ through this Passion, Jesus ages physically as the weight of experience is put upon him. Much in this way, experience ages us; changes us.

Erin Maurelli – Artist Statement