Gideon Jacobs preaching on the subway, photographed by Daniel Arnold.
About
IMAGES: A Revelation is a performance in which Gideon Jacobs plays Father Bartholomew Mary, a (maybe) blind, (maybe) Southern, “Second Commandment fundamentalist” preacher – as in, he believes we should be taking “Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image” literally and seriously. Father Mary believes the apple in the Garden of Eden contained images, that images have landed humanity in its current mess, and they must all be destroyed. For Amant’s commission, Jacobs revisits and reimagines Father Mary with a pre-show installation, updated sermons, an exorcism, and a miracle.
Written and performed by Gideon Jacobs
Directed by Alex Tatarsky
Organist played by Arthur Sillers
Reporter played by Emily Allan
Run time: Approx. 50 min
Gideon Jacobs writes fiction and nonfiction, contributing to The New Yorker, The New York Times, Artforum, BOMB Magazine, The Drift, Heavy Traffic, and others. He has lectured at the Institute of Fine Arts, Jeu de Paume, The Wende Museum, the ICP, Julia Stoschek Foundation and elsewhere. His artworks have been exhibited at Crystal Bridges, the Museum of Contemporary Art of Rome, the Romanian National Museum of Art, Deli Gallery, Entrance, and elsewhere. Projects include: Murder Suey (2020), a novella co-written exquisite-corpse-style with Brad Phillips, published by Autre Magazine; Etsy DeVos (2019), throw pillows made with Chloe Wise featuring erotic poems about Donald Trump’s cabinet members, raising funds for Food Bank of NY; To Get Drunk on Cold Water (2019), a written and visual portrait of a fictional town in rural Romania with Bieke Depoorter, commissioned with Magnum Photos; Landing Pages (2018), a literary installation with Lexie Smith at LGA Airport, commissioned by the NY/NJ Port Authority; and more. He was a professional actor as a child. He lives and works in Queens, NY.