http://www.simontoparovsky.com
Simon Toparovsky
is the designer and sculptor for the main altar, life-size crucifix
for the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels. He is an artist of Los
Angeles and Lake Como, Italy and this has been his first liturgical
commission.
Toparovsky
studied
at
Philadelphia's
Temple
University,
Berkeley's
University
of
California
and
Oakland's
California
College
of
Arts
and
Crafts.
He
has
subsequently
taught
at
the
University
of
California
at
Los
Angeles,
Otis/Parsons,
as
well
as
participating
in
workshops
in
England
and
in
New
York,
California,
Wisconsin,
Tennessee,
Georgia,
Alaska,
Pennsylvania,
Maryland
and
Virginia.
His
works
have
been
exhibited
in
public
and
private
museums
in
Los
Angeles,
New
York,
Paris,
Vienna,
Zurich,
Tokyo
and
Milan,
among
others.
He
has
consulted
numerous
times
for
the
National
Endowment
for
the
Arts.
When
Toparovsky
first
received
the
commission
to
design
and
sculpt
the
bronze
and
wood
crucifix,
he
had
"an
enormous
rush
of
energy,
but
simultaneously
felt
the
burden
of
two
thousand
years
of
art
history
come
upon
me,
thinking
that
now
it
was
my
turn
to
do
this
interpretation."
For
many
years
Toparovsky
has
been
interested
in
"depicting
the
human
condition,"
to
artistically
express
"the
idea
that
along
with
joy
and
beauty
in
life,
there
is
death
and
confusion
and
sorrow."
He
desired
to
show
in
his
art
"the
individual
transformed,
managing
to
embrace,
not
just
endure,
all
of
what
life
offers,
and
celebrate
that
to
a
conclusion
that
is
radiant
and
energizing
and
good
for
the
world."
Designing
the
crucifix
allowed
the
artist
to
fulfill
his
aspirations
by
portraying
the
brutality
of
Christ's
suffering
while
showing
His
triumph
and
serenity
as
He
embraces
death
for
the
good
of
humankind.
Toparovsky
has
been
"physically
affected"
in
powerful
ways
by
his
experience
of
crafting
the
crucifix.
He
recalls
being
"grateful
that
I
was
fifty
because
at
age
forty
I
would
not
have
been
able
to
handle
this."
There
were
many
times
that
he
"was
filled
with
awe
at
my
capacity.
As
soon
as
there
was
a
moment
of
fear,
I
was
swept
with
this
grand
feeling
of
satisfaction
of
what
I
had
accomplished
up
to
that
point,
which
gave
me
the
faith
and
the
courage
to
make
the
next
step."
As
he
constructed
the
basic
shape
of
the
6'6"
human
form
as
one
piece
out
of
chicken
wire,
foam,
tape
and
plastic
tubing,
he
remembers
"that
there
were
times
I
realized
I
was
working
in
ways
I
had
never
worked
before,
and
it
kind
of
astounded
me."
He
used
burlap
and
wax
on
the
outside
surface
which
allowed
the
bronze
casting
to
show
the
texture
of
the
burlap,
suggesting
flayed
skin.
Instead
of
changing
the
shapes
in
the
piece
by
warming
the
wax
and
manipulating
it
gently,
he
used
a
sledge
hammer
creating
intense
textures
on
the
surface.
"This
more
physical,
almost
trance-life
thing
that
went
on
in
working
with
the
crucifix
was
different
than
anything
I
had
done
before."
Many
people
shared
their
ideas
about
the
crucified
Jesus,
but
Toparovsky
knew
that
he
had
to
"transcend
everyone's
individual
vision."
Now
that
it
is
complete,
he
hopes
that
as
people
view
the
crucifix
that
it
"really
touches
their
hearts."
Learn more about
the CRUCIFIX.
Learn more about the Simon Toparovsky.
