Steve A. Prince
Intercessor’s Song
Linoleum Cut, Edition 25
18” x 24”
The image Intercessor’s Song was inspired by the unique funerary tradition in Accra, Ghana. Artisans would fashion elaborate coffins for the deceased that reflected there life. For example, if a person was a fishermen and they passed away, they may carve a giant fish and bury them in it, or if the person was a car salesman they may create a car-like coffin to symbolically reflect there occupation and contribution to society. I reflected on the senseless violence that is plaguing our communities and devouring our youth across America. I asked the question, what kind of coffin would we bury many of our youth in if we based it on the life they lead? In this context I placed the young man in a pistol-coffin. The pallbearers are his friends, as they carry their dead friend to his final resting place. Too often, the young men harbor malice and revenge in their hearts and soon after they follow the path of the deceased as they slowly descend into the ground while playing a mournful dirge. The woman to the left of the composition raises her hand to heaven and prays a prayer of intercession; which means to go between, to spiritually break the viscious cycles of violence that are devouring our youth. It is in this place she stands, firmly, upon a foundation of truth and love for her neighbor to seek life!
BIO
Steve A. Prince is a native of New Orleans, LA and resides in Meadville, Pennsylvania. He received his BFA from Xavier University of Louisiana and his MFA from Michigan State University. Prince is an educator and has taught privately, middle school, college, and is currently an Artist in Resident at Allegheny College. He has shown his art internationally in various solo, group, and juried exhibitions, at the Contemporary Art Center of Virginia, the National Gallery of the Bahamas, the Museum of Cultural Arts Center in Santa Catarina, Brazil, the Grand Rapids Museum of Art, the Portsmouth Courthouse Museum, Hampton University Museum, the Museum of African American Culture in New Orleans, Xavier University of Louisiana Gallery, Charles H. Taylor Art Center in Hampton, and the Peninsula Fine Arts Center, to name a few.
I AM American Exhibition 