Once deemed blasphemous, artist's image of Christ attracts 'followers'
By Harlen Brown
Free Press Staff Writer
Free Press
June 24-30, 1998
KEY LARGO - It was 1962 and the world was in turmoil as the Cuban Missile Crisis unfolded. Artist Tomas Fundora was a man without a county, having fled Cuba to America in 1960. His mother was suffering from the stress of leaving their homeland and Fundora wanted to do something to ease the pain of her despair. A painter, he turned to his artistic talents for the answer. Recalling that time, and speaking slowly to find the right words and with much emotion, he spoke.
"The only way to fix all of the problems in the world is by following Christ. I was not even considering the fact that anyone could meet him face-to-face," Fundora said during a recent interview. "My way of expressing this was to paint the back of Christ because, I thought, if you were to follow that was the only thing you could see."
Little did he know but the painting would create a controversy in New York City when some art reviewers criticized the work and some members of the church called it "blasphemy".
New York's Cardinal Spellman become one of the critics and warned Fundora he was going to be excommunicated by the Catholic church.
"I told him that was not possible as I was a Methodist," Fundora said. "Many Cubans both pro-Castro and anti-Castro spoke out against the painting, one side claiming it encouraged Cubans to desert their homeland, the other just the opposite."
At the 1965 World's Fair in New York, the painting was displayed at the Spanish Pavilion next to a Salvador Dali and Pablo Picasso painting.
One night three thugs came to Fundora's studio, and though he told them the painting was not there, they refused to believe him and used heavy statuettes he'd made to break the bones in both his hands.
The incident virtually ended his painting career at the time.
Instead, Fundora turned to writing and producing music. He was the man who created the Miami Sound Machine and produced their first six albums.
The painting, "The Back of Christ," was put in the closet for the next 23 years. He only brought it out again when he opened his gallery at mile marker 103.4 in Key Largo 4-1/2 years ago.
"My mother had died and a strange thing happened about the same time. People began coming to the gallery just to see the painting of Christ," Fundora said.
They lit candles, and it became almost like a faith, a religion as they offered up prayers. People were getting fanatical about the painting.
"We made up some post cards, and they have been selling very fast and being sent out all around the country," Fundora said. "I have even gotten e-mail from Cuba from people who tell me how important the painting is to them."
In Highlandville, Mo., the Prince of Peace Cathedral dedicated a laser print copy of Fundora's controversial painting on June 20.
In this tiny temple, proclaimed in Guinness Book of Records as "the world's smallest cathedral," Bishop Karl Pruter celebrated Mass.
"The obvious thing is, that if Christ says, 'Follow Me,' and you do, you're going to see his back," Pruter said.
Today, Fundora seems pleasantly surprised at the reaction to his painting.
One person has even claimed he could see the face of Christ visible through his hair.
"The Followers," as they are calling themselves, became more prevalent after the Pope's recent visit to Cuba, and Fundora believes this opening of religious options on his homeland has had an effect in some way.
Demands for "The Back of Christ reproductions are on the increase.
Fundora said they have printed 200 copies of the original painting, which hands in the Key Largo gallery.
A plan is underway to do another limited edition of 1,000 prints in the near future.
Recently Fundora was interviewed on Miami's Channel 23 for the 6 and 11 p.m. newscast.
"They mentioned the gallery was located in Key Largo at mile marker 93. The next day people were driving up and down the highway trying to find out where we were," he said.
By the way, the original is not for sale, Fundora said. He has already turned down a $1,000,000 offer.
"Maybe someday I will donate it to some group, that will guarantee me it will never leave the United States," he said. "I never expected this kind of response to my painting, which was done at a time when my heart was filled with gratitude for being alive and living in this country.
"For this, I am thankful." |
