(This is Part Two about the early work on the Portal of Paradise. It is written by DivineStone co-author, photojournalist and Cathedral Artist-in-Residence, Robert F. Rodriguez. All of the images in the article are those of the writer except where noted) – RM
Apprentices Tackle Portal Bases on South Side
In the spring of 1989, Master Sculptor Simon Verity hoisted a few planks onto thin steel frames to start the first full carving season for the Portal of Paradise.
The crew of Jessica Aujero, Joseph Kincannon, Dennis Reed and D’Ellis “Jeep” Kincannon had their assignments for the pedestal bases on the south side and started the roughing out.
Jessica Aujero created an eerie and haunting work for her base carving. Beneath the major-rank figure of Ezekiel, she presents his dream in the Valley of Dry Bones, a prophecy in chapter 37 of the Book of Ezekiel.
On the upper part of the pedestal, we see grimacing skulls, struggling to free their bones from the earth. They lean forward menacingly, as if they intend to leap off the limestone base. Jessica also adds carvings of angels, some with animal faces, wheels with eyes and God’s chariot and fire — all representing total destruction.
At the very bottom of the carving, below the chaotic scene, is a sleeping Ezekiel. A disembodied hand touches his head, probably indicating that the reclining figure is dreaming, or it could be God’s hand commanding the prophet. Ezekiel finds himself transported by God’s spirit into a valley filled with dry, lifeless bones. God commands Ezekiel to prophesy over these bones, and as he does, they come to life, growing sinew, flesh, and skin. Yet, they lack breath, symbolizing Israel’s spiritual condition at the time. Following God’s instruction, with a gust of wind Ezekiel breathes life into them, and they come to full life, symbolizing God’s promise to revive Israel.
A September 1989 Cathedral Newsletter conveys Dennis Reed’s process of carving the Visitation. “Beneath the feet of Elizabeth, mother of St. John the Baptist, Dennis Reed roughs out the figure of the older Elizabeth comforting the 14-year old Mary, who has come to her with the wonderful and terrifying news that she is somehow pregnant herself.”
“To carve this scene, I had to reach into myself, really think about it,” says Reed. “I see Mary right then as overwhelmed, confused, frightened. She went to Elizabeth for comfort.”
Below the figures of the embracing women, Mary at Elizabeth’s knees, a pot overflowing with water is symbolic of motherhood. The water is also a symbol of the water John the Baptist would later use to baptize Jesus. (John the Baptist is also the last major-rank figure on the south side of the portal.)
On the column shaft, Dennis displays great artistry and carving skill in his depiction of an embryo bathed in the softly flowing water that gently cascades from the edges of the column. Delicate tiny toes and the outline of legs and a torso are suspended upside down, as if in the womb. They are barely visible, seen as though through a gossamer veil.
The Cathedral article adds that from his perilous perch on the scaffold, Dennis enjoys the changing of the seasons and the enthusiasm of the passersby who stop to watch. “We hope we’ll be out here until October or November,” says Reed. “We see people in everything from T-shirts to mink coats.” He pauses a moment. “It breeds patience.”
D’Ellis “Jeep” Kincanon was a multi-talented member of the Cathedral Institute and sometimes had to move between projects.
Jeep started carving honeycombs and carob trees on the column shaft beneath the major-rank figure of John the Baptist. He was pulled off this job since he was also needed by Cathedral Stoneworks to work on templates for a project at the Jewish Museum. Several years later Jean-Claude Marchionni carved the upper half of the pedestal – adding oversized ears and a hand to instruct all to listen to the preaching of John, which foreshadows the coming of Christ.
Jean-Claude would also go on to carve the two remaining pedestals on the south side. Beneath the major-rank figure of David, we see the entry of the Ark of the Covenant into Jerusalem (II Samuel 6). David is seen dancing to the left of the Ark and is semi-nude per the scripture (II Samuel 6:20). The chorus line of women below are dancing and making music to celebrate the Ark’s arrival. On the adjacent base Jean-Claude carved the Brooklyn Bridge collapsing. Snakes, spiders, skeletons — these images echo the words of the prophets of evil, malice, and doom.
Probably the most viewed and most recognizable carving on the Portal of Paradise is Joseph Kincannon’s depiction of New York City, including the Twin Towers, under a nuclear mushroom cloud.
The prophet Jeremiah foretold the destruction of Jerusalem and Joseph’s carving below that major-rank figure interprets the modern day destruction of Jerusalem by using the instantly recognizable skyline of New York City. The Gothic arches below represent the rebuilding of the “cathedral,” a symbol of hope after chaos.
Since the Sept. 11 attacks, the carving has gained more attention, both as a tribute or memorial to 9/11 but also among conspiracy theorists hypothesizing the work foretold the terrorist attacks. Joseph’s work predates the Twin Tower’s destruction by 12 years.
A New York Times article reports that sometime towards the end of 2018 and early 2019, something heavy crashed into Joseph’s Twin Towers carving, shearing off the miniature buildings carved in limestone and leaving a jagged void in the middle of his composition. No other carvings were damaged.
The act was not recorded and the Cathedral had a mystery and a quandary on its hands. Did a conspiracy theorist or some random vandal cause the damage? Church officials also had to decide whether to restore the carving or leave it ragged and broken.
Some, including Simon Verity, opposed any restoration, but the Right Rev. Andrew Dietsche, Bishop of the New York Episcopal Diocese, wanted the Twin Towers carving to be made whole again. Joseph, living in Austin, TX at the time, returned to the Cathedral for the repair job in the fall of 2019.
Ultimately, Joseph cut a small piece of limestone to the shape of the towers, and carved the distinctive vertical lines of the towers’ surface before applying epoxy to set the stone in place.
Joseph’s unexpected return to the scaffolding also triggered some memories, “It’s as if I never left. Very strange,” he said. He had a sense of déjà vu “with the familiar smells, sounds and yes, (remembering) Simon’s comments about the work in general.”
An old, annoying problem also resurfaced during his Twin Towers repair, Joseph recalls. “When I was first working on the portal carving, I would periodically blow the dust away and it would channel behind the little buildings and go right into my ear. I had to laugh at how ridiculous I felt because it kept happening.”
And, when he returned almost 30 years later, “the same thing happened! I blew away the dust, and into my ear, it went. I laughed out loud. Comic time-traveling. It put me right back there,” Joseph added.
Joseph recently confided that he left two autobiographical “secrets” in this carving.
He relates, “I carved the brownstone that many of us lived in at the time,” at 112th St and Manhattan Avenue. Simon Verity bought the house and some of the Stoneyard crew lived there. It is seen on the left side of the carving as a small four-story building with a rounded corner turret, just below the crumpled Empire State Building.
In addition, Joseph says, “I also carved a tiny version of myself carving inside the tower tracery,” based on a photograph that appeared in a 1988 Cathedral calendar. “A vain effort by an underpaid carver.”
The description in the calendar notes: “Joseph Kincannon carves the finishing touches on the capital of a main gablet for the south tower –St. Paul’s.” On the column base of the limestone pedestal, we see Gothic arches and the rebuilding of the “cathedral,” representing order in the world. Tucked into an upper corner of a gablet, Joseph carved a self-portrait — a hardworking, dedicated artist and stone worker intent on his work.
In the first two seasons, the apprentices’ work on the bases allowed Simon Verity to focus on carving the major figures above. Observing the collective effort from the nearby work shed, stone carver Theresa “Treese” Robb likened the combined work to a “beautiful orchestration – a symphony of different perspectives.”
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Sources:
- Cathedral Newsletter Sept 1989
- Cathedral Newsletter Dec. 1988
- Portal of Paradise: A Guide to the Sculptures
- New York Times, Nov. 15, 2019: The Mystery of the Tiny Twin Towers
- Bible: King James Version
- Wikipedia