Julie Green: The Last Supper

Artist Julie Green (1961 – 2021) spent twenty-two years creating this large-scale art installation by painting images of the final meals on found ceramic plates with cobalt blue mineral paint and then re-firing them in a kiln. This presentation at the Grand Rapids Art Museum will mark only the second time all the plates created by Green will be exhibited together. A selection from The Last Supper was exhibited during ArtPrize 2015 at Kendall College of Art and Design, where it was shortlisted for the 3D Juried Prize.

The Last Supper encourages viewers to consider the U.S. prison system and the way we think about those who are within it. By linking us together through our basic need for food and our rituals associated with it, Green sparks a human connection and opens our hearts and minds to individuals in our society who are often disregarded and forgotten.

Image Credit: Julie Green, The Last Supper, Installation view at Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art