God's Saving Grace
God’s Saving Grace, Love, Truth, Peace, Freedom
Last Meal Requested by Danny Harris Before His Execution on July 3, 1993, 12:18 a.m.
Triptych from the series Last Meal, original piece 1995, broken triptych 2024
China dinner plate, wood frames, felt, board, glue
Left and right panels 9” x 9” x 2”
Center panel 13” x 13” x 1.25
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During a recent installation, one of my favorite plates fell to the ground and shattered into pieces. While I was saddened by the incident, my son encouraged me to keep the broken pieces, for I would no doubt find new meaning in this accident.
The broken pieces began to remind me of broken shards of pottery from an ancient civilization’s burial site. Like an archaeologist, I attempted to put the pieces back together, configuring them into what I believed was their original shape and purpose. I then mounted the pieces in a museum style, suggesting that they are precious and valuable artifacts, infusing them with another layer of meaning and importance. Hung in a triptych fashion, God’s Saving Grace, Love, Truth, Peace, Freedom reminds one of a religious altarpiece, with each panel telling a portion of the complete story.
My hope is that one day, viewers will look at the pieces and wonder what kind of civilization killed its own citizens after honoring them with a final meal of their choosing. I wonder whether there was a deeper meaning in why this “food-less”, last supper request, of nothing more than God’s Saving Grace, Love, Truth, Peace, and Freedom broke, and whether it was a cry for more attention when it crashed to the floor.
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