Corpus - Artist Statement

Crucifixes illustrate the central paradox of the Christian faith: that an all-powerful God impoverished himself to be born with human flesh, only to be tortured and hung on a Cross. The Corpus is a focused meditation on Christ’s body. Abused and stripped of His clothes, Christ’s body is completely impoverished, lacking even the crown of thorns and the nails in His hands and feet. When we meditate on the Corpus, we see poverty made incarnate.

Yet victory is present in this poverty. Even when death has claimed Christ’s body, His posture expresses dignity and grace. His hands are serene as he offers Himself to the world. His head is bowed, yet retains the majesty of a king. 

The Corpus teaches us how to live and die. Like Christ, we too will be victorious when we learn to imitate His total poverty.

The Corpus Project

The Corpus Project was a collaboration between sculptors Gabriel Akre and Andrew Wilson Smith that took place in the summer of 2024. Visit Gabriel’s website to see more of his work sculpting the human figure by using the button below.

Preorder the Corpus

Make the Corpus a part of your church, chapel, or home by using the form below. The Corpus is made out of bronze and measures 22 by 17 inches. There are two options for a cross: wall mounted and table mounted. Enter your name and email address and we will provide instructions on how you can preorder the Corpus for delivery before Ash Wednesday, 2025.