The Procession of Dead Lord Jesus

Woodcut print on Werkdruck paper (Edition of 12), 60 x 50 cm, €550

The inspiration for this woodcut is “The Procession of Dead Lord Jesus,” the largest event of Holy Week in my very Catholic hometown. On Good Friday, people followed a coffin through the streets—some were barefoot, some on their knees, and others carried heavy stones on their heads. The procession passed by Palacete do Senhor Alderico Silva, the home of the richest man in town.

This piece is from Dreams and Memories, a series of 25 woodcuts I made to honor my beloved hometown of Caxias in Brazil’s Maranhão State. Caxienses are very religious and superstitious people, practicing traditions that come from Yoruba African, indigenous, and Portuguese cultures. The exhibition was held in Palacete do Senhor Alderico Silva—the “small palace” of Mr. A. Silva, Caxias’ richest man—a place of fear and curiosity for us.