Ruben’s Controversial Carving

(Ruben’s Controversial Carving is the second article in the series “Capitals, Gablets, Pinnacles and Label Stops” by photojournalist Robert F. Rodriguez. Unless otherwise noted, all photos are by him.)

Ruben Gibson was already an integral part of the fabric of the Stoneyard Institute by the time he left the cutting shed for the carving shed in 1985.

In the carving shed he added other new skills to his portfolio.

“Ruben was in some ways the best carver to have,” said Master Carver Nicholas Fairplay, who oversaw the training of the newly appointed carvers, Ruben, Cynthia “Cynie” Linton, Joseph Kincannon and D’Ellis “Jeep” Kincannon. “Once you gave him the idea, he was good. (His approach) was always bold,” continued Nicholas.

Ruben arrived at the Stoneyard in late 1980 or early 1981. In his 20’s, he developed keen interest in sculpture, painting and theology. At the Cathedral, Ruben found the perfect marriage of his artistic talent and his spiritual quest – the building of a cathedral.

One of Ruben’s early jobs was running the machine shop, recalls Stephen Boyle, the tower foreman. “It entailed estimating which stones could be cut from the rough block and slabs,” Stephen said. Ruben would then oversee the sawing process, ensuring that the overall dimensions of the stones were accurately cut to size. Ruben’s job as estimator required a good understanding of the fabrication process.

Ruben was well up to the task and was meticulous, painstaking and competent in his approach to everything in the machine shop and cutting shed.

At the carving shed Ruben tackled carving projects including crockets, pinnacles, capitals, and finials, and he designed and carved three unique label stop carvings. 

His first label stop was of a demon, its gaping mouth ready to devour anything in front of it. The limestone block was mounted on top of two layers of railroad ties on his banker. Above was Ruben’s clay model, as this was his first carving from his own design, and Master Carver Nicholas Fairplay required an approved drawing and clay model before carving could begin.

Ruben stood on top of a milk crate at certain points so he could carve the huge pointed ears, fierce nose and furrowed brow.

That carving was finally set on the South façade in the Southwest corner.

Ruben’s second carving toward the end of 1985 depicted a wide-mouthed lion with flowing mane and piercing eyes. A New York Times article commented, “The supple stone faces of Mr. Gibson’s demons, lions and imps seem alive, some as if about to grin or grimace. The lustrous curls in lions’ manes look as if they should flutter in the wind off the Hudson River.” 

The finished lion carving proved to be a hit and was later cast and plaster copies were sold in the Cathedral gift shop.

Perhaps the chance position of Ruben’s third label stop shaped the inspiration behind its design.

He and Nicholas Fairplay determined, by the stone’s specific ID number on the tower blueprint, that this block would sit on the East elevation on the South side – directly in line with Dean Morton’s office.

As an unofficial leader among the workers, Ruben was often the first to champion any workers’ issues with management. He always pushed for the advancement of his co-workers, for whom he was a courageous and eloquent spokesman.

John Walsh, the master of the Stoneyard who appointed Ruben lead carver, said he was sometimes difficult to work with because of his strong opinions.

For instance, when Walsh occasionally hired a talented sculptor from out of town, Ruben objected that more stone carvers should be recruited from Harlem and other inner-city neighborhoods.

So Ruben used the stone’s placement to send a message. But what message?

“I told Ruben that in Germany it is common to carve a gargoyle with its bottom facing the Dean’s house,” said Nicholas Fairplay, who said “mooning gargoyles” in Europe were common.

Ruben liked this idea but as the stone was not elongated enough for a “mooning” gargoyle, he carved a grotesque with its tongue sticking out.

The same New York Times article relates some additional background: “A longtime friend, Thomas Moore, said Mr. Gibson’s skepticism of the church hierarchy can be seen in a grotesque he carved that depicts an impish face with a large nose and a tongue sticking out. The face looks directly at Dean Morton’s office, the source of some of the policies Mr. Gibson disagreed with.”

We can be grateful that Ruben opted to have a tongue sticking out of his carving directed at the Dean and not some other body part.

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Sources:

• New York Times 1/29/1989
• Divine Stone 5/28/2020″Remembering Ruben”