Coconino Center for the Arts in Flagstaff, AZ, 2001

This installation, based on Giotto’s fresco of the same name, was part of a group exhibit entitled San Francisco de Asis.  The exhibit celebrated the life and philosophies of St. Francis, and my piece focused on his ecological messages.  The centerpiece of my installation was a baby crib whose front and back panels were painted with scenes from the Life of Christ: at the foot, a Madonna and Child, at the back, the Descent into the Tomb, set against the backdrop of a nuclear test site.  The sides of the crib contained scenes from the Life of Francis, including his encounter with the wolf of Gubbio, and his preaching of the gospel to the birds.  Inside the crib, in place of the Christ Child, there was a full coyote skeleton. Fine red stigmata lines rose from the feet and heart of the coyote to a Gothic crucifix attached to the wall.