John Ismael

In the picturesque countryside of Tuscany in Italy lays the small town Sienna. At a quiet square on the top of a hill rises the towers of the 14th cc church St. Dominic. On display in a gold decorated box, in the corner of the church lays the relic head of the saint Catherine (1347-1381). The nearly 700 year-old head, at the same time scary and amazingly beautiful, tells us greater stories than books. Within the shape and form of the human body lays the secrets of nature’s universal geometric solutions, inspiring artists and designers trough all times. No mummification or elmbalmic method were used to preserve relics in the belief that the bodies of these individuals would be miraculously preserved by God because for their sacredness and purity - as a reminder of their sacrifices. Therefore along believers the relics posses magical powers.
Every historic period has its own beliefs and worships: thunder, religion, science, art and technology...Every age creates new icons, symbols and objects loaded with powers of our beliefs.

St. Catharine Relic mystical power inspired John Ismael to collect the facial forms of New York top models and sculptures portraits with the idea that beauty is one of our modern times new religion and the models plays the role of the saints.

In a time were we already had lived out all our desires we have to create parallel realities to extend our being, idols, and celebrities gets lifted up to a mystical and mythical levels….

In the state of Sleeping Beauty’s quiet sleep, lays the naked faces waiting to be fulfilled with life from the projection of our wonders and worships.

John Ismael was born in Chicago 1979. Today he works and live in the small neighborhood area Nolita in New York. His father is a banker, and his mother a praised ballet dancer. He was raised in a highly aesthetic environment in a home with strong Jewish traditions although without the presence God. As expression he works with the human body like Jake and Dino Chapman Marc Quinn, Anthony Gormley and Ron Muek. He also has great admiration for old painter like Rembrandt's dramatic brush strokes, Caravaggio’s and Francois Bacons brutal composition and Lucian Freud’s sculptural paintings.

//P:Belladonna is happy!