The Last Supper

Artist Raoef Mamedov created this depiction of the Last Supper in a unique and provocative way.  Here we see Jesus and his 12 disciples portrayed by 13 men with Down syndrome.  Personally I find it beautiful and deeply moving.  Knowing someone with Ds intimately, deep feelings stir within me as I draw parallels between my experiences with William, and others I have met with Down syndrome, and the familiar Easter story of the last supper.

I did do some research on Mamedov, to see why he includes models with Ds in many of his pieces.  This is all the information I could find:

Moscow-based Mamedov utilizes the process of film direction by collaborating with a painter,
photographer, computer technician, and actors to produce extrasensory photographs. Though the scenes viewed in the final works are complex with multiple players, each actor is
separately photographed with Mamedov directing the actors’ emotions and providing the vision for the subsequent digitization and computer placement. Adding a strange conceptual
twist, his “actors” range from institutionalized mental patients to individuals with Down Syndrome enabling him to utilize the true abilities of the actors’ minds as an art medium that
heighten the pieces’ cultural connections and meanings. 

What exactly is Mamedov trying to say through this portrayal is left to the observer to discern, but two themes seem to evolve through the handful of websites I visited that allowed commentary.  People who were generally ignorant about Down syndrome, or had never met someone with Down syndrome seemed to find this more controversial than those who had an understanding of Ds.  Interestingly, of those who were offended or disturbed, quite a few somehow felt the models were being taken advantage of or were being abused.  Some comments went so far as to say that the models would have had no understanding of what they were being asked to do.  Those who were familiar with Down syndrome seemed at ease to look at the art and find beauty and deeper meaning.

Beyond the traditional religious significance of the Last Supper, this portrayal has also created a sort of divining mechanism that causes an observer to confront their feelings about disability.  Unconditional love, sacrifice,  steadfastness, selflessness and loyalty are themes derived from the Easter story and to a person who loves someone with Down syndrome those themes will seem very familiar.  To the uninitiated, they could not see past the disability and find the beauty and passion of the Last Supper.

Perhaps that is what Mamedov wants us to confront.  The barriers we have to finding Christ.  Perhaps he is giving the observer a chance to notice the condition of our hearts, are they open to seeing Christ in our brothers or are they so badly tainted by our superficial world that there is no longer a way in?

I also have to add that the treatment of the photographs to create the feeling of a classic painting is very appealing and welcoming.  To me it gives me an impression of historical record, as though we need to remember that people with Down syndrome have lived in the time of Jesus, in the time of Da Vinci, and today.  They may not have played a role that made a mark on history, but they were there.  Mamedov has changed that now by including people with Down syndrome in a significant piece of art.  Maybe he thought it was finally time.