Paul Fromberg: Deisis

Casting its benevolent gaze down upon the congregation, Paul Fromberg's Deisis watches from high above the altar. This icon of Christ, installed at Grace Cathedral during June of 2003, was suspended in the space between the altar and the soaring gothic arches. An ancient image of Christ as compassionate healer, Deisis is a detail from a large mosaic in the Hagia Sophia in Constantinople, and is printed on sheer fabric with netting between the panels. This creates a visual impact that is at once formidable and transparent. It is the transparency itself that holds the meaning of the piece for the artist:

"Because the icon is printed on a sheer fabric, it may be viewed from either side; light passes through it freely. The Deisis tells us that we are intercessors with Christ, praying for the well being of the universe. Just as the light passes through the icon, so our prayers are presented to God."

In 1980 Paul Fromberg began to study the language of icons. At that time his interest was in abstracting the concepts of traditional iconography, and expressing these concepts in paint, chalk, and metal leaf. He began to learn more about the traditional arts of the church (mosaic, iconography, vestment-making) in the 1990s. An Episcopal priest, and rector at St. Andrew's Parish in Houston, Texas, Fromberg envisions his art being installed in churches and other religious communities around the world. His latest piece uses modern technology to show an ancient image in a new light, and to convey a universal message.

"The Deisis is about intercession," says Fromberg, describing his artwork. "This representation of the Deisis is divided into four fields of color, reminding us that each of us prays to God in our own unique way. And although the image is divided into four parts, still it is a unity held together by the image of Christ."

Liturgical and spiritually-based art has frequently been installed in Grace Cathedral. For the 50th Anniversary of the United Nations, "Tongues of Fire," a large scale work on paper by artist Nancy Chinn, was draped down the length of the nave. The bright expressionistic canvases by Kim En Joong, Korean Episcopal priest and artist, were displayed in the arches of the cathedral. To celebrate the commemoration of the AIDS Interfaith Chapel, panels from the Names Project AIDS Quilt were on display in the cathedral, lining the walls high above the congregation.

To find out more about Deisis, you may email the artist at paulfromberg@hotmail.com.

 
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