Atelier LePrince ReVisited

Atelier LePrince Live Event is based on a sixteenth-century stained glass window titled the Tree of Jesse. The window is one of many made by the Atelier LePrince, a family of glass painters of which the artist is a descendent.

In crafting the Tree of Jesse window, master glass painter and potential great-great-great-great-uncle to the artist, Engrand LePrince, inserted his own self-portrait in what could be construed as an act of hubris or of equity. The eerie and spectacular experience of encountering this ancestor inspired questions on iconography, culture, and professions, and how these define our identities.

The Live Event was part séance and part photoshoot. Passers-by in ACAD’s Main Mall were invited to channel one of their ancestors while sitting in front of a thirteen-foot tall 3D contemporary interpretation of the Tree of Jesse. This construction was assembled onsite a few days leading into the Event, and glass parts were made in ACAD’s glass studio. Approximately 75 passers-by agreed to channel their ancestors and have their portraits taken.

Professional Harpist Gianetta Baril played Renaissance music for the duration of the event. Click to visit Gianetta’s website.