As Theatre 29 debuts their production of “Jesus Christ Superstar” Friday night (April 18), attendees will be able to peruse a new art exhibit installed in the lobby. Twentynine Palms-based artist Anna Stump, is presenting a portion of her oil painting series showcasing the various actors who have portrayed Jesus Christ in cinema, television, and on Broadway.
The series, called “Being Jesus,” is described by the artist as an exploration of how the image of the religious figure is marketed to the public in popular media, and how it has changed little over the centuries. She was inspired by how the power of a painting of Jesus Christ continues to resonate, due in part to the rich history of religious artmaking, and to the inability of a photograph to encompass our feelings about who Jesus was and is.
Eighteen of Stump’s oil paintings will be on display in the lobby of Theatre 29 through the duration of the show’s run. Jesus Christ Superstar opens today and runs Friday and Saturday nights with Sunday matinees through May 4.
You can get tickets by visiting theatre29.org
