ST Grégoire l'illuminateur chasse le Covid 19! 2021

Curator: Wow, this painting just pops with such nervous energy! I feel like I'm looking at stained glass that's decided to stage a revolution. Editor: The acrylic painting, “St Grégoire l'illuminateur chasse le Covid 19!” by Cricorps, created in 2021, speaks volumes about the intersection of faith and contemporary crisis. Curator: Chase the Covid 19! That exclamation point does so much work. The virus as demonic… I’m picturing a funky medieval exorcism, almost psychedelic, in these swirling halos around the figures. The vibrant colors, the kind of childlike directness of the shapes—it feels so visceral. Editor: Absolutely. This work reflects the collective anxiety and seeks refuge in the figure of Saint Gregory the Illuminator, a pivotal figure in Armenian religious history. It's fascinating how the artist merges religious iconography with a symbol of contemporary global disruption. Curator: So, beyond this very immediate, almost cartoonish, dread... is the saint actually kicking out the COVID? What's the vibe you're getting? Is this like...divine intervention, or maybe resilience in the face of everything? Editor: Both. The use of the saint is powerful in asserting a spiritual response to a biological crisis. It’s like saying, "We've faced adversity before; our history and faith provide us with a toolkit." There's also an inherent critique—a societal appeal to powers greater than ourselves. The individual's position kneeling before the saint, covered in representations of the virus, highlights themes of supplication. Curator: I was thinking maybe… a community grappling with an invisible foe. But seeing it in the frame of faith… the figure feels so present! You know, you don't often find art so plugged into NOW-ness dealing with such old-time themes. Editor: It’s about making sense of an overwhelming present. It taps into an urge to create a visual language that explains what felt—and continues to feel—inexplicable for many. I see it as a very immediate, human act of interpretation. Curator: Well, I see the stained-glass party fighting the plague and it just makes me want to cheer. Maybe exorcise some anxieties with a paintbrush, huh? Editor: Yes, the painting's fusion of folk art and pop sensibilities makes a compelling statement. It reflects the urge to find a common language to process unprecedented times.